The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has lifted the lifetime ban imposed on coach Salman Butt, who trains javelin gold-medalist Arshad Nadeem.
According to reports, the decision came from PSB arbitrator Senator Pervez Rasheed after hearing arguments from both sides.
The arbitrator declared the ban illegal and also suspended the Athletics Federation of Pakistan’s decision to call elections for the Punjab Athletics Association (PAA).
In his ruling, the PSB arbitrator stated that the Athletics Federation had not followed legal procedures in taking action against Butt. No charge sheet was provided and he was not given an opportunity to be heard, the arbitrator noted.
The decision added that the Athletics Federation had damaged Butt’s reputation and that the ban had negatively affected Nadeem’s preparations.
The PSB adjudicator also barred the Athletics Federation from making public statements against Salman Butt, noting that the affairs of the Punjab Athletics Association did not fall directly under the federation’s authority.
According to the ruling, the PAA elections had taken place under the supervision of the Punjab Sports Board and Punjab Olympics.
Butt had faced a lifetime ban imposed by the Athletics Federation of Pakistan, which he challenged according to the Pakistan Sports Board’s constitution.