Lifetime ban on Arshad Nadeem’s coach Salman Butt scrapped by PSB

The Pakistan Sports Board has lifted the lifetime ban on athletics coach Salman Iqbal Butt, a move that clears his name and opens the door for him to return to the field he has served for years. The decision ends weeks of uncertainty for the coach widely recognised for guiding Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem to global success.

The ruling came from Senator Pervaiz Rashid, who was serving as the PSB adjudicator. In a detailed order issued on November 13, he noted that the ban enforced by the Athletics Federation of Pakistan on October 12 did not hold up under legal scrutiny. He described the sanction as unconstitutional and beyond the authority of the federation.

According to the order, the case against Butt collapsed due to serious procedural lapses. The coach was never provided a charge sheet, no inquiry report was shared with him, and he was not given a real chance to defend himself. The adjudicator stated that any penalty handed down through a flawed process cannot be upheld under the law. He also highlighted violations of Articles 4, 10 A and 25 of the Constitution, concluding that the lifetime ban was excessive and unsupported even by the federation’s own rules.

As part of its directions, the PSB instructed the federation to withdraw all adverse communications previously sent to bodies such as World Athletics and Asian Athletics. The order noted that the federation’s announcements had damaged Butt’s standing at the international level. It also barred the federation from issuing any future statements that could harm his reputation.

The case gained attention because of Butt’s close association with Arshad Nadeem, who has become one of Pakistan’s brightest sporting figures. Despite the ban announced in October, Butt still travelled with Arshad during his recent participation in the Islamic Solidarity Games. Arshad lived up to expectations once again and claimed gold with a throw of 83.05 metres.

The competition also marked a breakthrough for Yasir Sultan. He delivered a 76.04 metre throw that earned him silver and pushed Pakistan’s medal tally to four. The performances added weight to the argument made by many in the athletics community that the federation’s move against Butt had been rushed and poorly handled.

With the ban now declared void, Butt’s return is expected to bring stability back to Pakistan’s athletics setup at a time when its top athletes continue to shine at international events.