Arshad Nadeem’s coach Salman Butt’s report reveals irregularities

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LAHORE: Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem’s coach Salman Butt has mentioned in his performance report of Arshad that it was the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) which itself disassociated from his activities during the past one year.
“It appears from your letter that the scope of interest extends solely to the last one year of his training, as though the earlier years made little contribution… On the contrary, it was the AFP itself that chose to disassociate from his activities during the past year,” the recently life-banned Butt wrote in his performance report of Arshad which he submitted with the AFP on October 8.
AFP’s president Brigadier (retd) Wajahat Hussain has responded to Butt’s allegation.
“Before the Paris Olympics Salman Butt, who was serving as the coordinator for Arshad Nadeem, was in regular communication with the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) on a daily basis. Even a day before Arshad’s departure for Paris, a farewell dinner was hosted by AFP in his honor which was also attended by Salman Butt,” Wajahat told nukta.com.
“However after Arshad won the gold medal at the Olympics and returned to Pakistan Salman Butt ceased all communication with the AFP. He was unreachable via phone and did not make any effort to contact the federation. After several days, when he was finally reached, he claimed that he had lost his phone at the airport upon returning from Paris. Even after this, there was no further communication from his side unless initiated by the federation,” Wajahat said.
“It is indeed surprising and somewhat ironic that a federation which worked tirelessly for over a decade to help achieve this historic Olympic gold medal was completely sidelined the very next day,” Wajahat said.
Butt in his report appreciated Pakistan Sports Board’s (PSB) effort to assist their journey in what he labelled as difficult time
“We remain deeply indebted to the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) which acted as a mentor and caregiver during this difficult period of neglect. After Arshad’s medal-winning performances at the World Championships and the World Olympic Games in Paris, I was ridiculed on television shows and social media, dismissed merely as a “coordinator.”
“Yet now, following his first setback, I am suddenly regarded as the coach solely responsible for his performance. Such contrasting perceptions are an inevitable part of an athlete’s journey and of those who stand beside him through both triumph and adversity.”
“Training resumed on 10 December 2024 for the 2025 season, following a periodized program specifically designed to address strength deficits and optimize functional performance in targeted muscle groups Coach Terseus was consulted at various stages of the training program, with regular exchanges of performance data and video analyses to obtain his technical feedback and recommendations,” he wrote.
“His feedback has always been highly regarded, and I have implemented his suggested interventions wherever they contributed to measurable performance enhancement for Arshad. This year, Arshad grew physically stronger and developed greater control over his throwing technique, consistently surpassing his previously established personal benchmarks. We were paying more attention to his lower extremities which had previously been cause of concern. Dr. Ali Sher Bajwa was regularly consulted, and any musculoskeletal discomfort was promptly reported to him. He conducted online assessments and prescribed effective interventions to address emerging issues, ensuring that Arshad’s training progression remained uninterrupted. Dr. Bajwa also visited Pakistan on three occasions during the year to conduct comprehensive clinical evaluations in Lahore,” the report said.
“Similarly, Dr Asad Abbas who specializes in sports injuries rehabilitation, nutrition, and the WADA protocol visited us regularly during training sessions. He proposed diet plans enriched with essential nutrients to restore the athlete’s energy reserves depleted during training. The cooperative PSB staff ensured the provision of hygienically prepared and nutritionally balanced meals in accordance with high-performance dietary standards,” Butt wrote.
“Arshad was also provided access to state of the art medical facilities, including diagnostic imaging, biomechanical assessments, and regular blood and fitness profiling by the National Hospital DHA Lahore. We extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Rizwan, the owner of the hospital, for his generosity and unwavering support. He has graciously welcomed Arshad and has committed to providing lifetime medical care for him and his family,” the report said.
Butt wrote that during a training session at Punjab Stadium on 4th July Arshad pulled a calf muscle.
“He stopped training immediately, initially the condition caused discomfort and Dr, Bajwa was consulted online who ordered an MRI of the affected area. The test results were digitally transferred the next day to Dr. Bajwa in the UK. On the advice of Dr. Bajwa and after getting permission from PSB Arshad was treated at the Spire hospital Cambridge UK. This is the same medical facility where he has been successfully treated twice before (2022 and 2023) for elbow and knee injuries.” the report said.
“The athlete subsequently underwent a structured three-week rehabilitation programme at Warrior Physio, London, focusing on recovery, functional restoration, and progressive return to training. We proceeded from Lahore to Tokyo on 8 September to compete in the World Athletics Championships. The weather in Tokyo was hot and humid and the track surface was very hard on the Javelin runway. Arshad was not comfortable with hard nature of the throwing surface and he experienced some stiffness in his effected leg. Dr. Bajwa who was present at all times examined the condition during training and kept applying all professional solutions to keep it healthy. In the qualifying round on 17 September Arshad threw a distance of 85.25 meters and qualified for the final. On the night before the final, Dr. Bajwa conducted a thorough examination of Arshad and administered a massage to relieve the stiffness in his calf muscle.”
“The following day, we reached the warm-up area well in time, where Arshad carried out an effective warm-up session, later I assisted him in stretching all major muscle groups. Stiffness and discomfort in the left calf muscle prevented him from achieving a good distance in this final competition. The final recoded distance of his throw was 82.65 meters. Much has been said since then about his performance and his coach—both in praise and in criticism. As credit is shared in victory, so is responsibility in defeat. I fully understand this and continue to stand firmly by the athlete,” Butt says.
“We have applied the same proven training principles over the past four years, introducing periodic alterations and modifications to align with the athlete’s enhanced strength, conditioning, and throwing biomechanics. The medical support team remained consistent, comprising Dr. Bajwa and Dr. Asad, while Coach Terseus was frequently consulted to review progress and provide expert opinion. Unfortunately, the outcome was not satisfactory due to a recurring injury that impeded the athlete’s ability to perform at his full potential during the competition. It must be acknowledged that no athlete, regardless of natural talent or ability, can be expected to consistently deliver peak performances at every competition. Likewise, no coach is indispensable or beyond replacement; there are always individuals who may prove to be better suited for the job at a given time. I shall continue in my role only for as long as Arshad wishes my involvement, no sooner or later than that for the show must go on,” he said.
In the start of the report Butt narrated about his appointment as a coach.
“I was appointed coach and mentor of Arshad Nadeem by the President AFP in September 2021. This marks the fifth year of my coaching and mentoring the Olympic champion, since I began working with him, shortly after the Tokyo Olympic Games. At that time, he was already an 85-meter thrower but had limited knowledge of strength training, conditioning, mechanics of throwing, and competition temperament, factors that ultimately distinguish between poor or optimal performance.”
“We had rudimentary facilities available for training and no funding for standardized training equipment. The athlete also carried a severe elbow and knee injury, which was not a satisfactory state of affairs. Through personal contacts in the spring of 2021, my old friend Zahid Hussain placed his trust in our abilities and generously financed Arshad’s training under me at PSB Lahore. Later, he also sponsored a two-month training camp in South Africa twice 2022 & 2023 for Arshad Nadeem and fellow javelin thrower Yasir Sultan under the guidance of the world renowned coach Terseus Liebenberg. Zahid also personally covered the expenses for Arshad’s medical treatment in the United Kingdom on three separate occasions,” the report says.
“Since then, he has continued to extend his full support towards the athlete’s rehabilitation and professional needs. Since September 2021 Arshad has won numerous renowned international championships which includes a gold medal and a new Olympic record at the Paris Olympic Games 2024. In that moment, a shining star was born, one who illuminated the athletics horizon and inspired an entire nation. Pakistan had found a new sweetheart, not from the cricket pitch, but from the javelin runway, where a humble athlete had captured the nation’s heart with his courage and determination.”
Butt also mentioned in his report Arshad’s fifth place finish in the 2022 World Championship in US, golds in 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and 2022 Turkey Islamic Games, 2023 silver in Hungary World Championship, 2024 Paris Olympics gold and 2025 Asian Athletics Championship gold.
Butt was handed a life-ban by the AFP the other day for conducting Punjab Athletics Association elections unconstitutionally.