Pakistan's Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem endured a stunning reversal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, finishing a distant ninth in the 12-man final — a result his own mentors have attributed to chronic training neglect, an unsuitable coaching setup, and growing off-field distractions. The collapse has shocked fans and insiders alike, given that Nadeem shattered records at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a 92.97-metre throw to claim gold just months ago.

A Performance Far Below His Best

Nadeem's Glasgow campaign began poorly with a qualification throw of just 78.63 metres — enough to scrape into the final but a far cry from his Olympic standard. In the final, his best effort of 77.41 metres left him well outside medal contention. The competition was won by Sri Lanka's Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who launched a brilliant 89.75-metre throw to claim gold. India's Neeraj Chopra took silver, while compatriot Yash Vir Singh claimed bronze — keeping the medals within South Asia but delivering a sharp blow to Pakistan's athletics pride.

What Nadeem's Mentors Said

Akram Sahi, a former president of the Pakistan Athletics Federation and the first official to support Nadeem's rise in early 2018, placed the blame squarely on those around the champion. 'Since Nadeem's Olympic gold medal a coterie highjacked him and never let him come to me,' Sahi said. He added: '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.'

A second mentor, who declined to be named, echoed Sahi's assessment and pointed to Nadeem's Haj pilgrimage this year as a period during which training was not resumed adequately. 'Arshad Nadeem had become complacent and what we noticed was lack of training and after he was busy in Haj this year he did not do proper training,' the mentor said. The source also highlighted the role of Nadeem's South African coach Terseus Liebenberg and training stints at Northwest University Potchefstroom in producing his Olympic gold, contrasting that with the current coaching arrangement. 'Now he waited for Federation and government to send him to South Africa for training,' the mentor noted, adding that Nadeem should have invested his prize money in his own preparation rather than waiting for institutional support.

Coaching Setup and Business Ventures Under Scrutiny

The unnamed mentor was particularly critical of Salman Butt, described as Nadeem's current coach. 'Salman Butt, the current coach with Nadeem has nothing to do with javelin throw, he was an ordinary discus throw athlete with no achievements but he has been with Nadeem like a shadow and that has affected his performance,' the source said. Separately, the mentor flagged that Nadeem — reportedly having received cash rewards of around 300 million PKR following his Paris triumph — has been channelling attention into business ventures, including reportedly constructing a marriage hall and restaurant in his hometown of Mian Channu. 'An athlete doesn't need such diversions,' the mentor said.

Fans and Analysts React

Analyst Ahsan Muneeb, who followed the Games closely, argued that financial rewards without structural support had done Nadeem a disservice. 'Instead of giving him millions that pampered him, the government and sports authorities should have arranged a high quality foreign coach and settled him in places like Germany, South Africa or England so that he could have got better training and would have been better acclimatized,' Muneeb said. He added that a comeback would be 'near impossible' under the current trajectory. Meanwhile, Sahi, who also chairs the South Asian Athletics Federation, expressed satisfaction at the broader regional picture, noting that Pathirage's emergence and Vir Singh's bronze were welcome signs of depth in South Asian athletics.

What Comes Next for Nadeem

Nadeem's Glasgow performance raises serious questions about his preparation framework heading into future international competitions. Both mentors have urged him to return to rigorous training and reconnect with the coaching infrastructure that produced his Olympic peak. Whether Pakistan's athletics authorities respond with a structural intervention — or whether Nadeem self-funds a return to South Africa — will likely determine how quickly, if at all, he can recapture his 2024 form.