Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem’s coach Salman Iqbal Butt has submitted his response to the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP), strongly defending his tenure and criticising the federation’s lack of support for the star athlete’s training.
AFP sought an explanation from Butt following Nadeem’s disappointing tenth-place finish at the recent World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
In his comprehensive reply, Butt reminded the AFP of his track record, stating the federation appointed him as coach and mentor for Arshad Nadeem in 2021. He highlighted Nadeem’s subsequent string of victories, including the historic gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Butt noted Nadeem’s success from 2022 to 2025, which includes four gold medals and one silver, arguing that one cannot expect any athlete to maintain peak form consistently.
The coach affirmed his commitment to his role, saying he will continue coaching as long as Arshad Nadeem desires him to do so. He also stated that he and Nadeem never refused to share any training details with the AFP.
However, Butt also expressed disappointment, claiming that the AFP had disengaged from all of Arshad’s activities over the past year. He revealed that a personal friend funded Nadeem’s training, including two trips to South Africa for training sessions.
Butt condemned the mockery he faced after the World Championship and Olympic victories, stating television programs referred to him as merely a “coordinator.” He contrasted this with the immediate shift in attitude following Nadeem’s single poor performance, where he suddenly became the ‘coach’ held solely accountable.
Addressing the performance in Tokyo directly, Butt detailed Nadeem’s preparation for the 2025 season, which started on December 10, with continuous consultation with renowned coach Terseus Liebenberg. He noted that Dr. Ali Sher Bajwa, an expert in sports injuries, frequently checked on Nadeem, visiting Pakistan three times, while Dr. Asad Abbas managed his full diet plan.
Butt disclosed that Nadeem suffered an injury on July 4, requiring surgery in England. The athlete then underwent a three-week rehabilitation program in London.
Upon arriving in Tokyo on September 8, the coach explained, the hot and humid weather, coupled with a hard javelin runway track, made Nadeem uncomfortable and aggravated the pain in his leg. He stated that despite Dr. Bajwa’s efforts to keep him fit, a calf muscle strain prevented Nadeem from achieving his best score in the final.
Concluding his reply, Butt emphasised that just as success receives collective credit, responsibility for failure must also fall upon all stakeholders.
AFP had sought a detailed explanation from coach Salman Iqbal Butt following Olympian Arshad Nadeem’s disappointing performance at the recent World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he finished 10th in the javelin throw final.
The federation issued a show cause notice to Butt, requiring him to submit a written report by October 5. The AFP instructed the coach to clarify 10 distinct matters within his report, directly addressing the fallout from the World Championship.
Arshad Nadeem, the reigning Olympic Champion with a record-breaking throw of 92.97 meters in Paris 2024, struggled in the final with a best throw of 82.75 meters, resulting in his elimination after the fourth round.