Arshad Nadeem won the gold medal at the Islamic Games with an 83m throw, a performance that has been celebrated but also raised questions about selection and ranking. Muhammad Ishtiaq Kiani says that had an athlete who throws 85m been sent, Arshad Nadeem’s ranking would have been affected, illustrating how selection decisions can change outcomes and why Pakistan sports reform is necessary.
Kiani, after researching recent events, highlighted a series of governance concerns he believes are hurting athletes. He questioned how Salman Butt, who carries a lifetime ban from cricket, came to be involved as a coach for Arshad Nadeem and Yasir Sultan, asking who authorized his role and why such appointments occur without clear oversight.
Controversy also surrounds athletics selection where a high jump athlete was sent and then lost the event. The Athletic Federation of Pakistan has stated they did not send that athlete and that he did not attend proper trials, but Kiani says selection without transparent trials raises serious accountability issues and fuels calls for Pakistan sports reform.
Reward consistency for medal-winning athletes has become another flashpoint. Kiani noted that a squash player named Sohail received a 5 million rupee prize in Punjab after winning a medal, while athletes like Danish Atlaj who raised the national flag after notable success say they received no financial recognition. These discrepancies, he argues, undermine morale and fairness across sports.
Further concerns include the removal of cycling from the 35th National Games, despite cycling contributing international medals for Pakistan. Kiani views such decisions as symptomatic of a system where federations are not given proper respect and planning is inconsistent, and he urges reforms to prevent talented athletes from being sidelined.
Pakistan sports reform, according to Kiani, requires that whoever is entrusted with responsibility must perform transparently and accountably. He calls on all stakeholders to work together on a single platform to strengthen federations, standardize selection trials and ensure fair rewards so athletes can compete with confidence and integrity.
