The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has overturned a lifetime ban imposed on Salman Iqbal Butt, the coach of Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem, ruling that the sanction was unlawful and restoring his professional rights.

In a detailed order issued by Senator Pervaiz Rashid in his capacity as adjudicator for the PSB, the lifetime ban imposed by the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) on October 12 was declared “void ab initio and without lawful authority.”

The AFP had imposed the ban on Butt over undisclosed administrative disputes, including a disagreement involving the Punjab Athletics Association elections. Butt challenged the ban, arguing that it was issued without proper jurisdiction, due process, or legal basis. After extensive proceedings, the adjudicator ruled in favor of Butt in a final order dated November 13.

“The lifetime ban has no legal effect and is declared void,” the order stated.

It directed the AFP to “immediately withdraw all adverse communications” sent to international bodies, including World Athletics and the Asian Athletics Association, which had negatively affected Butt’s international standing. The federation is also restrained from issuing any future “defamatory or prejudicial communications” against him.

The adjudicator noted multiple procedural and legal flaws in the AFP’s actions, including the absence of a formal charge sheet, no inquiry report, and the lack of a meaningful right to a hearing or defense.

“A penalty imposed in violation of due process is void ab initio,” the order read, citing violations of Articles 4, 10‑A, and 25 of the Constitution of Pakistan. It also described the lifetime ban as “ultra vires, excessive, and unsupported by any constitutional authority” under AFP rules.

The ruling clarified that the AFP had no jurisdiction over the PAA elections, as the association is a provincial body under the supervision of the Punjab Sports Board and the Punjab Olympic Association. The elections were observed by nominated officials, and no objections were raised at the time.

The order also highlighted the adverse impact of the ban on Pakistan’s elite athletics programme. Butt has coached Nadeem for several years, including during his historic performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics. According to the adjudicator, AFP’s actions had “disrupted Pakistan’s high-performance athlete’s preparations, created uncertainty for a leading Olympic athlete, damaged national medal prospects, and risked reputational harm internationally.”

The record included a written endorsement from Nadeem himself supporting Butt and opposing the ban.

The PSB’s legal advisor, Saif ur Rehman Rao, assisted during the proceedings, while the AFP was represented by its president, Brigadier (R) Wajahat Hussain, and advocate Usman Akram. The adjudicator overruled AFP’s objection to the petition’s maintainability, affirming full jurisdiction under the PSB Constitution.