Arshad Nadeem faces criticism after disappointing Commonwealth Games campaign

Pakistan's Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem has found himself at the centre of growing criticism following his disappointing Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow, with questions now being raised not just about his form but also about the support system that surrounded him in the lead-up to the competition.

The defending Commonwealth Games champion endured one of the worst outings of his career, finishing ninth after failing to produce a throw beyond 80 metres. Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage clinched the gold medal, while India's Neeraj Chopra and Yashvir Singh completed a historic South Asian podium with silver and bronze respectively. But as scrutiny intensified over Nadeem's performance, reports from Pakistan suggested the Olympic champion had effectively been left to prepare on his own after the Pakistan Amateur Athletics Federation (PAAF) allegedly distanced itself from his training programme following a dispute over the retention of his long-time coach Salman Butt.

According to a PTI report, the PAAF largely withdrew support from the star javelin thrower after disagreements emerged last year over his coaching setup. The report claimed that several requests made by Nadeem regarding his training programme were not entertained, while the Pakistan Sports Board also did not release funds to facilitate foreign coaches or trainers.

Instead of training overseas under renowned South African coach Terseus Liebenberg, who had guided him before his Olympic triumph, Nadeem spent his Commonwealth Games build-up in Lahore with Salman Butt and local trainers. The contrast with India's preparation was striking. While Neeraj Chopra completed his final rehabilitation and training block in Biel, Switzerland, fellow Indian javelin throwers Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav trained in Spala, Poland, alongside foreign coaches and support staff before heading to Glasgow. The differing approaches were reflected in the final standings as India secured two medals, while Nadeem failed to qualify among the top eight after the opening three rounds.

Nadeem had arrived in Glasgow with limited competitive exposure, having competed in only one preparatory meet in Switzerland during 2026. He also trained almost exclusively in Lahore despite the vastly different weather conditions between Pakistan and Scotland. His long-time coach Salman Butt admitted the Olympic champion was far from his best and acknowledged he was underprepared for the Games.

Former Pakistan Athletics Federation president Akram Sahi also blamed negligence and inadequate preparation for the dramatic decline. "Since Nadeem's Olympic gold medal a coterie has hijacked him and never let him come to me," Sahi told Telecom Asia Sport. "This result in Glasgow is hugely disappointing... the signs were imminent for the last several months as there was negligence and lack of training."

Another mentor, speaking anonymously, argued that Nadeem had become complacent and failed to invest sufficiently in elite overseas training after receiving substantial financial rewards following his Olympic success.

Nadeem's disappointing campaign has reignited debate over Pakistan's sporting ecosystem. Former Olympic boxing bronze medallist Hussain Shah described the situation as a reflection of systemic shortcomings. "This is an athlete who is self-made and comes from a village and belongs 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 CWG. It is a sad reflection on our sports structure," Shah said. Pakistan's campaign in Glasgow also exposed wider concerns. Boxer Fatima Zehra, who secured the country's only medal with bronze, also lamented the lack of quality preparation and international exposure, saying better training could have helped her challenge for gold.

The criticism did not stop with Pakistan's athletics authorities. Two of Nadeem's former mentors also questioned the Olympic champion's preparation, alleging that a lack of quality training and poor decisions contributed to his disappointing campaign.

Akram Sahi, the former Pakistan Athletics Federation president who helped identify Nadeem's talent in 2018, claimed the warning signs had been visible for months. "Since Nadeem's Olympic gold medal a coterie has hijacked him and never let him come to me," Sahi told Telecom Asia Sport. "This result in Glasgow is hugely disappointing for someone who has risen to new heights, but the signs were imminent for the last several months as there was negligence and lack of training."

Another mentor, speaking anonymously, echoed those concerns, suggesting Nadeem had not trained adequately after returning from Haj and had become overly dependent on official support. "He won the Olympics after he got extensive training from his South African coach Terseus Liebenberg. His training stints at Northwest University Potchefstroom also helped him clinch Olympic gold. Now he waited for the federation and government to send him to South Africa for training. He should have invested in himself rather than waiting for someone else," the mentor said.

The mentor also questioned Nadeem's current coaching setup, claiming his long-time coach Salman Butt lacked specialist expertise in javelin and that the Olympic champion had become distracted by business ventures after receiving substantial financial rewards following his Paris triumph.