New Delhi, August 3: Pakistan’s Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem faced criticism from two of his key mentors following a disappointing performance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. They attributed his lackluster showing to insufficient training and negligence, urging him to work harder for a comeback.
Nadeem, who won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a record throw of 92.97 meters, finished ninth among twelve finalists at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. His performance left both his coaching staff and fans astonished.
His campaign began with a slow qualifying throw of 78.63 meters, barely securing a spot in the finals. His throw of 77.41 meters was not enough to compete for a medal. Sri Lanka’s rising star, Ramesh Tharanga Pathirage, clinched the gold with a throw of 89.75 meters, while India’s Neeraj Chopra took silver and Yash Veer Singh earned bronze.
Akram Sahi, the first official who helped Nadeem advance in 2018, accused a group of individuals of hijacking his career. The former president of the Pakistan Athletics Federation told Telecom Asia Sport, “Since Nadeem’s Olympic gold medal, a group has taken control of him and kept him away from me.”
He added, “The result in Glasgow is disappointing for someone who has reached new heights, but signs of this outcome had been evident for months due to negligence and a lack of training.”
Another mentor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, agreed with Sahi’s comments, stating, “Arshad Nadeem has become negligent. His training has been lacking. After being busy with Hajj this year, he did not train properly. He won the Olympics after receiving excellent training from his South African coach, Tersius Liebenberg. His training at North-West University in Potchefstroom also helped him secure Olympic gold.”
The mentor noted, “He was waiting for the federation and government to send him to South Africa for training. After his Paris performance, he received a substantial monetary reward. Nadeem should have invested in himself rather than waiting for others.”
The mentor criticized Nadeem’s current coach, Salman Butt, stating that he has no experience in javelin throw, being an ordinary discus throw athlete with no significant achievements. He has been a mere shadow to Nadeem, which has affected his performance. Following his gold medal win in Paris 2024, Nadeem has shifted his focus to business, building a wedding hall and restaurant in his hometown of Mian Channu, which consumes his time and attention. An athlete should not have such distractions.
Sahi, chairman of the South Asia Athletics Federation, expressed happiness over the progress of Pathirage and Singh, noting that it is commendable for medals to remain in South Asia. The gold-winning Sri Lankan athlete has worked very hard.
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