Salman Iqbal, the longtime coach of Pakistan’s top athlete Arshad Nadeem, was banned for life on Sunday by the nation’s athletics federation for breaking the Punjab Athletics Association’s constitution, where he is the president.
Iqbal’s life ban prohibits him from participating in any sports, coaching, or holding any kind of office. Iqbal has been accused by the Pakistan Amateur Athletics Federation (PAAF) of violating the rules by holding elections for the Punjab organization back in August.
In mid-September, an inquiry committee was established, and on October 10, one day after Iqbal’s response to the PSB was released, the committee recommended that he be banned.
Iqbal’s recent terse response to the state-run Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) asking him to explain Nadeem’s lackluster performance at the World Athletics Championship in Tokyo seems to have contributed to the decision. Additionally, PSB asked information regarding the expenditure associated with the javelin thrower’s trip and training.
Iqbal, who has been Arshad’s coach and mentor for the past few years, startled everyone by revealing that the Pakistan Amateur Athletics Federation had cut ties with Nadeem for the past year or so.
Iqbal reportedly caused a stir when he replied that, in addition to helping Pakistan’s best athlete finish his rehabilitation from a calf muscle injury, he needed to ask a friend for financial support to enable him to train in South Africa.
