Arshad Nadeem’s coach, Salman Iqbal Butt, has submitted a detailed written reply to the Pakistan Athletics Federation (AFP) regarding the Olympian’s underwhelming performance at the recent World Athletics Championship.
According to sources, the Federation had sought an explanation from the coach following Nadeem’s poor showing in the event. In his response, Salman Iqbal stated that he was officially appointed as Arshad Nadeem’s coach and mentor by the Athletics Federation of Pakistan in 2021.
He highlighted that since 2021, Arshad Nadeem has achieved remarkable success at international levels, winning multiple titles including theth historic gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Between 2022 and 2025, Nadeem secured four gold medals and one silver in major international events.
“It must be acknowledged that no athlete can maintain peak form continuously,” Salman Iqbal noted, adding that he would continue in his role as long as Arshad Nadeem wished. He further emphasized that neither he nor Nadeem had ever refused to coordinate with the Federation on training or other matters.
The coach pointed out that the AFP had distanced itself from Nadeem’s training for over a year, and much of the financial support came from his personal friends. This assistance allowed Nadeem to train twice in South Africa, where his preparations were funded privately.
Salman Iqbal also mentioned that after winning the World Championship and Olympic gold, he was mocked on television shows where he was labeled merely as a “coordinator.” However, following one subpar performance, he was suddenly made solely responsible for Nadeem’s results.
He clarified that for the 2025 season, Arshad began training on December 10, maintaining regular communication with world-renowned coach Terseus Liebenberg. Sports physician Dr. Ali Sher Bajwa conducted regular checkups and visited Pakistan three times to monitor Nadeem’s fitness.
Sports injury specialist Dr. Asad Abbas also supervised Nadeem’s diet and fitness plan. On July 4, Nadeem suffered an injury that required surgery in England, after which he underwent a three-week rehabilitation program in London.
According to the reply, Arshad Nadeem traveled to Tokyo on September 8, where the hot and humid weather, combined with a hard javelin runway surface, made performance difficult. He experienced discomfort in his operated leg, which affected his throw during the final round.
“Dr. Bajwa took all possible measures to keep him fit,” Salman Iqbal stated, explaining that the muscle strain prevented Nadeem from delivering his best throws.
Concluding his response, the coach remarked, “After every performance, people either criticize or praise. Just as success is shared by everyone, responsibility for failure should also be collective.”
