The Athle­tics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) has written a letter to Salman Butt, the coach of star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, seeking the reasons behind a sharp decline in the athlete’s performance including his below-par show in the World Athletics Champ­ionship held in Tokyo last week.

The 28-year-old Arshad, who made entire Pakistan feel proud by winning gold medal with a record 92.97-metre throw at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finished a poor 10th in the world championship.

The AFP has asked several questions from Salman and directed him to submit his reply by Oct 5.

After Arshad’s gold medal show in Paris last year, the AFP had disassociated itself from his training programme and his participation in world events, giving the athlete and Salman liberty to take their decisions.

When the Pakistan Sports Board handed a cheque of Rs10 million to the AFP for training Arshad early this year.

The federation returned the same with an instruction to directly give it to the athlete.

According to the letter, the AFP asked Salman to submit a report about Arshad’s training activities from September 2024 to August 2025.

The coach was also asked to name the coaches, whose services were hired for Arshad during the said period, plus details about his participation in international events in the same time.

Salman was also asked to explain why Arshad did not participate in any Diamond League meetings, and whether he hired the services of any foreign coach or trainer during this period.

Moreover, Salman was required to submit the report of Arshad’s high performance training and his physical fitness level, and also if the coach made any contact with the federation or any other national institution during the past year or so.

The Seattle Seahawks held off their NFC West rival, the Arizona Cardinals, in a 23-20 victory on the road on Thursday night.

The Seahawks improved to 3-1 to start the early season, while the Cardinals fell to 2-2. 

There wasn’t much coming from the Cardinals’ offense in this game, but the fourth quarter made the game very interesting as Kyler Murray finally got some momentum going. 

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Marvin Harrison Jr., who was having a rough game at that point, was trusted by Murray on a pass to the end zone, and he hauled it in over Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon to make it a one-score game after the extra point. 

Sam Darnold and the Seahawks, owning a 20-13 lead, knew they could seal victory with a long drive, killing clock and making it a two-score game. It looked like that was coming when Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught a 36-yard pass on third-and-6 to get into Cardinals territory. 

But three plays later, Jason Myers was trying a 53-yard field goal and he missed wide right to keep the Cardinals’ hopes alive. And Murray delivered the drive his team needed to tie it up. 

SEAHAWKS’ INTERCEPTION TURNS INTO FUMBLE AFTER DEFENDER RUNS INTO OWN TEAMMATE

The Cardinals went 12 plays and 57 yards in just under three minutes, as running back Emari Demercado was wide open on second-and-goal and he ran into the end zone for the tie following the extra point with 28 seconds left to play in regulation. 

There was a slim chance Darnold could get Myers back in his field goal range to try a game-winner, but that all changed when Chad Ryland’s kickoff attempt failed to get into the designated landing zone between the goal line and the 20-yard line. The ball bounced just before the 20-yard line, giving Seattle the ball at their own 40-yard line. 

Darnold got the ball onto Arizona’s side thanks to a perfect pass to Smith-Njigba for a 22-yard gain. After a Zach Charbonnet four-yard run, Myers had another chance from almost the same distance as he lined up a 52-yarder. 

This time, it was true as the Seahawks celebrated their victory in a big divisional matchup. 

As noted, this game wasn’t an offensive thriller as both defenses were playing their opponents well. However, Darnold was able to orchestrate two touchdown drives, finding tight end A.J. Barner from 16 yards out for the team’s first points on the scoreboard, while Charbonnet ran one in at the goal line in the second quarter to head into the locker room with a 14-3 lead. 

Both teams would find a field goal in the third quarter before the fourth turned this game into a thriller. 

Looking at the stat sheet, Darnold was 18-of-26 for 242 yards with his touchdown pass and no interceptions, with Smith-Njigba leading the way with 79 yards on just four catches. Kenneth Walker III may not have found the end zone, but he did lead the rushing attack with 81 yards on 19 carries compared to Charbonnet’s 39 yards on 12 touches in the backfield. 

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As for the Cardinals, Murray was 27-of-41 with two touchdown passes and two interceptions thrown, including one that luckily went back to Arizona after Cobe Bryant ran into his own Seahawks teammate and fumbled while returning the pick. Harrison was the leading receiver with 66 yards on six catches. 

Trey Benson, who will be filling in for James Conner the remainder of the season after his year-ending foot injury last week, had 35 yards on just eight carries in his first game as the team’s primary running back. He also had five catches from Murray for 19 yards. 

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JOHANNESBURG:

Argentina have retained Santiago Carreras at fly-half for a Rugby Championship penultimate round match against title-holders South Africa in Durban on Saturday.

The 25-year-old Gloucester playmaker was the Pumas’ second choice for the key role behind Italy-based Tomas Albornoz when the southern hemisphere tournament kicked off in August.

But Benetton fly-half Albornoz dislocated a finger early in a historic second-round triumph over New Zealand in Buenos Aires, and Carreras has starred since. Albornoz is on the bench for the Boks Test.

It was the first time Argentina beat nine-time Championship winners New Zealand in 16 attempts in the South American nation.

Carreras is the leading points scorer in the Championship this season with 47, including 23 in a win over Australia this month in Sydney, where he had a perfect eight-from-eight goal-kicking record.

Coach Felipe Contepomi has made three personnel changes to the team that started the victory over Australia.

All the alterations involve forwards with locks Lucas Paulos and Franco Molina and flanker Pablo Matera replacing Guido Petti, Pedro Rubiolo and Juan Martin Gonzalez.

The dropped trio are among the replacements in a six forwards-two backs split.

Australia, who play New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday, top the table with 11 points after four rounds. South Africa and New Zealand have 10 each and Argentina nine.

Team (15-1)

Juan Cruz Mallia; Rodrigo Isgro, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras; Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Garcia; Joaquín Oviedo, Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera; Lucas Paulos, Franco Molina; Joel Sclavi, Julian Montoya (capt), Mayco Vivas

Replacements: Ignacio Ruiz, Boris Wenger, Francisco Coria Marchetti, Guido Petti, Pedro Rubiolo, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Simon Benitez Cruz, Tomas Albornoz

Coach: Felipe Contepomi (ARG)