The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has nullified the lifetime ban imposed on celebrated athletics coach Salman Iqbal Butt, the long-time mentor of Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem. The decision restores Butt’s professional standing and marks a major setback for the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP), which had imposed the ban on October 12, 2025.

The ruling was issued by Senator Pervaiz Rashid, acting as the PSB adjudicator. In his written order, he declared the AFP’s ban “without lawful authority, unconstitutional, ultra vires, and void ab initio,” establishing that the penalty held no legal validity from the moment it was issued.

Butt had challenged the AFP’s decision, arguing that the ban was imposed without jurisdiction, due process or any legally structured disciplinary framework. After reviewing the record and hearing the arguments, the adjudicator ruled in his favour on November 13, 2025.

The order not only struck down the lifetime ban but also directed the AFP to withdraw all adverse communications sent to global bodies such as World Athletics and Asian Athletics. These letters, the ruling noted, harmed Butt’s international reputation and created confusion within global sport circles. The federation has also been prohibited from issuing any defamatory or prejudicial statements against him in the future.

The adjudicator pointed to several procedural flaws in the AFP’s actions. No formal charge sheet was issued. No inquiry report was produced. Butt was not given an opportunity to respond, nor was due process afforded to him at any stage. The ruling cited violations of Articles 4, 10-A and 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan, stressing that penalties imposed without lawful procedure are inherently void.

The dispute also extended to the Punjab Athletics Association (PAA) elections, which the AFP had declared null and void. The adjudicator ruled that the AFP had no authority over the matter, clarifying that provincial athletic elections fall under the jurisdiction of the Punjab Sports Board and the Punjab Olympic Association. He noted that observers appointed for the elections raised no objections at the time.

The ruling further highlighted the ban’s damaging effect on Pakistan’s elite athletics programme. Salman Iqbal Butt has coached Arshad Nadeem for years, including during his gold-winning performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The order stated that the AFP’s actions disrupted athlete preparation, created uncertainty around Pakistan’s leading Olympic contender and negatively affected medal projections at major events.

Arshad Nadeem also submitted a written endorsement in support of his coach, expressing confidence in Butt’s training and opposing the AFP’s decision.

The proceedings were facilitated by PSB’s legal advisor Saif ur Rehman Rao. The AFP was represented by its president Brig (R) Wajahat Hussain and advocate Usman Akram. The adjudicator rejected the federation’s objections related to maintainability, confirming his full jurisdiction under the PSB Constitution.

The PSB’s decision is expected to restore stability to Pakistan’s high-performance athletics programme, ensuring that athletes and coaches can resume training without organisational uncertainty.