The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has annulled the lifetime ban imposed on javelin coach Salman Butt, declaring the Athletics Federation of Pakistan’s (AFP) punitive action “illegal, unconstitutional, and void ab initio.” The decision brings an end to a month-long dispute that unfolded even as Butt continued coaching star athlete Arshad Nadeem, who defended his title at the Islamic Solidarity Games last week.
Speaking to Dawn while attending an overseas conference, Butt said the ruling had restored his confidence in the system. “We feel that justice has been served,” he said. “And now, I’ll continue with the work I’m doing.” Butt also serves as the Asian Director of Development for World Athletics.
AFP issued the lifetime ban on October 12, accusing Butt of “gross violations” of its constitution in relation to what it called “illegal and unconstitutional” elections conducted by the Punjab Athletics Association (PAA). Butt had served as PAA president until August 6. The ban prohibited him from participating in national or international athletics activities.
Butt challenged AFP’s decision, prompting PSB to appoint Senator Pervaiz Rashid as adjudicator. During the appeal process, Butt was cleared to accompany Olympic-medal hopeful Arshad Nadeem to the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, where the 28-year-old athlete clinched another gold medal.
Following a November 13 hearing, the adjudicator ruled that AFP acted outside its jurisdiction in declaring the PAA elections void, noting that election oversight falls under provincial authorities. The decision also stated that the AFP constitution contains no provision permitting a lifetime ban on an individual coach.
A Pakistan Sports Board hearing held on November 13 declared that “imposing a lifetime ban is without lawful authority, unconstitutional, ultra vires, and void ab initio”.https://t.co/c5W0T0jk5j
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) November 24, 2025
The order criticised AFP for failing to issue a charge sheet or provide Butt with an inquiry report, and for denying him a meaningful opportunity to defend himself. It held that the evidence on record supported Butt’s account regarding the PAA elections, his coaching credentials, and the adverse consequences the ban had on national athletes.
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As part of its ruling, PSB instructed AFP to immediately withdraw all communications sent to national or international bodies regarding the ban and to restore Butt’s “professional rights, status, and privileges.” The federation has also been barred from issuing any defamatory or prejudicial statements about him in the future.
The adjudicator noted the negative impact of the ban on Arshad Nadeem’s preparation for major competitions, citing a letter the athlete sent to the Pakistan Olympics Association on October 17 in support of Butt. AFP’s conduct, the order said, disrupted high-performance training, risked Pakistan’s medal prospects, and damaged the country’s reputation at the international level.
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