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PSB overturns lifetime ban on Arshad Nadeem’s coach Salman Butt | The Express Tribune
Following extensive proceedings, Senator Pervaiz Rashid ruled in favor of the coach in a final order on November 13
Ace javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem (second from left) and his coach Salman Iqbal Butt (second from right) visit Aitchison College, Lahore. Photo: ARSHAD NADEEM INSTAGRAM
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.
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The Carolina Panthers created havoc for the Los Angeles Rams and received a boost from the sloppy weather as they defeated the best team in the NFC, 31-28.
Carolina notched its seventh win of the year. It’s the first time they have won at least seven games since the 2022 season when Matt Rhule, and eventually Steve Wilks, were at the helm. The Panthers also snapped the Rams’ six-game winning streak.
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Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young runs against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina (Rusty Jones/AP Photo)
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford entered the game as the NFL MVP favorite. It seemed like he was going to have a big game as he led the team down for a touchdown on the opening drive. At the time, it was his 28th touchdown pass without an interception, which broke an NFL record.
The good vibes didn’t last long as Stafford threw an interception on his next drive and later had a pick six to Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson. The Panthers’ defense then forced Stafford to fumble the ball on the Rams’ final drive, which sunk any hopes of them coming back to force overtime or win the game.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young was 15-of-20 with 206 passing yards and three touchdown passes. He found rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan for a 43-yard go-ahead touchdown with 6:34 left in the game. It was McMillan’s only catch of the game.
Carolina Panthers safety Nick Scott celebrates after intercepting a pass against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jacob Kupferman/AP Photo)
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Carolina’s Jalen Coker had four catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. Running back Chuba Hubbard had two catches for 41 yards and a touchdown. He also added 83 yards on the ground on 17 carries.
Stafford finished 18-of-28 with 243 passing yards and two touchdown passes. Both touchdowns were to Davante Adams, who finished with four catches for 58 yards.
The Panthers’ (7-6) win kept them in contention for the NFC South lead. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a higher winning percentage after their win over the Arizona Cardinals, moving to 7-5.
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The Rams’ grip on the conference was loosened. The loss meant the Chicago Bears have the best record in the NFC. Chicago defeated the Philadelphia Eagles on Black Friday.
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Kiffin became a hovering theme of the latter part of the college football season as his future at Mississippi became uncertain.
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That’s a wrap on the regular season. All 31 automatic bids have been decided. Next up is the Selection Show on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN where the other 33 at-large teams along with the seeding will be revealed.
Volleyball seeds the top-eight teams in each region and the top four serve as first- and second-round hosts. The rest of the bracket is filled out to balance it competitively and geographically. The highest remaining seeds also host the regionals, and the 2025 Final Four is in Kansas City, Missouri, on Dec. 18 with the finals on Dec. 21.
Bracket watch
Pittsburgh’s win over Louisville, although much closer than the sweep would indicate, was still convincing enough to push the Panthers onto the top line as the final No. 1 seed. The other three top seeds — Nebraska, Kentucky and Texas — should be easy for the committee. The big discussion and decision-making will likely center around which teams slot as No. 2 seeds and which ones falls on the No. 3 line. That group includes teams such as Arizona State, Stanford, Louisville, Creighton, SMU, Wisconsin and Texas A&M with résumés that are so close; differentiating them won’t be easy.
The final spots for the right to host the first and second rounds will also take some time. Miami and USC seem to have played their way into the top 16 with good finishes to the regular season. Indiana slipped a bit down the stretch. The Hoosiers might just hold onto a spot in the top 16.
Top seedings
No. 1 seeds: Nebraska, Kentucky, Texas, Pittsburgh
No. 2 seeds: Arizona State, Texas A&M, Creighton, SMU
No. 3 seeds: Stanford, Wisconsin, Louisville, Purdue
No. 4 seeds: Miami, Minnesota, USC, Indiana
No. 5 seeds: Kansas, BYU, Baylor, Tennessee
No. 6 seeds: TCU, Kansas State, Colorado, Iowa State
No. 7 seeds: Penn State, UTEP, Western Kentucky, Northern Iowa
No. 8 seeds: Marquette, North Carolina, Florida, San Diego
Rest of the field (alphabetical): American, Arizona, Arkansas State, Campbell, UCLA, Cal Poly, Central Arkansas, Coppin State, Eastern Illinois, Fairfield, Florida A&M, Georgia Tech, High Point, Long Island, Loyola-Chicago, Maryland-Baltimore County, Northern Colorado, Princeton, Rice, St. Thomas, South Dakota State, South Florida, Stephen F. Austin, Toledo, Tulsa, Utah State, Utah Valley, Villanova, Western Kentucky, Wofford, Wright State, Xavier
(The rest of the field teams wouldn’t be seeded)
Bubble watch
The biggest change on the bubble in the season’s final weekend was Arizona playing itself into the field with two wins. The Wildcats beat Cincinnati in four sets Saturday in a match that became a de facto play-in game. The Bearcats’ two losses over the past three days were backbreaking. Oregon picked up a pair of wins, but beating Rutgers and Maryland weren’t enough to elevate the Ducks, who lack a significant nonconference victory and didn’t play the nonconference schedule of South Florida.
Last Four In: Georgia Tech, Villanova, Arizona, South Florida
First Four Out: Oregon, Cincinnati, Dayton, Missouri
Next Four Out: Auburn, Florida State, Pepperdine, James Madison
Conference breakdown
Big 12: 8
Big Ten: 8
ACC: 7
SEC: 5
Big East: 4
American: 3
CUSA: 2
Summit: 2
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