Arshad Nadeem Was Abandoned By Pakistan, Trained Alone For CWG: Report

Last Updated:August 02, 2026, 17:42 IST

Arshad Nadeem was reportedly left without adequate funding and support from Pakistan authorities, being forced to train alone before a poor Commonwealth Games campaign.

Pakistan’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem’s disappointing Commonwealth Games campaign has sparked questions not just about his form, but also the off-field challenges that reportedly disrupted his preparations, with critics blaming Pakistan’s sporting authorities for failing to support their biggest athletics star.

The defending Commonwealth Games champion finished a disappointing ninth in Glasgow, failing to make the final eight after arriving at the Games underprepared. While Arshad himself appeared short of full fitness, reports suggested that a series of administrative setbacks also contributed to his struggles.

According to PTI, which cited sources close to the athlete, the Pakistan Amateur Athletics Federation (PAAF) distanced itself from Arshad following a dispute over retaining his long-time coach Salman Butt last year. Since then, the federation reportedly left the Olympic gold medallist to manage his own preparations, with several requests related to his training going unanswered.

The Pakistan Sports Board also allegedly did not release funds to hire foreign coaches and trainers, forcing Arshad to train in Lahore under local staff. Unlike previous years, when he worked with South African coach Terseus Liebenberg, Arshad prepared this time solely under Salman Butt despite the vastly different weather conditions between Lahore and Glasgow.

Coach Butt later admitted that Arshad was nowhere near his best and entered the Games underprepared. The javelin star had competed in just one preparatory event in Switzerland before the Commonwealth Games.

Former Olympic boxing bronze medallist Hussain Shah described the situation as an indictment of Pakistan’s sporting system.

“This is an athlete who is self-made and comes from a village and belonged to a low-income family. But he brought so much glory to Pakistan with his gold medals. And yet he couldn’t prepare properly for the Commonwealth Games. It is a sad reflection on our sports structure," Shah said, as quoted by the news agency.

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