Arshad Nadeem defends his gold at Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 despite fitness struggles

Nadeem underwent calf surgery in June.

Pakistani javelin star Arshad Nadeem is yet to recover from a calf surgery he underwent in July this year. Nadeem’s revelation comes after he has participated in two events after his surgery.

Notably, Nadeem scripted history by becoming the first Pakistani to win an Olympic medal in Athletics during the Paris Olympics 2024. He won the gold medal after setting an Olympic record of 92.97m in the final round of the men’s javelin throw.

The 28-year-old opted for a surgery on his right calf at the Spire Hospital in Cambridge in July. He then underwent rehabilitation in London to prepare for the World Athletics Championships in September. The showpiece event saw him finishing 10th with his best effort being 82.75m, despite being declared fit.

Thereafter, Nadeem defended his men’s javelin throw title at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh with a best effort of 83.05m. Interestingly, he was the only athlete with an 80m+ throw, while his teammate Muhammad Yasir Sultan, clinched a silver medal with a throw of 76.04m.

Nadeem was satisfied with the gold medal win but also expressed his disappointment for faring poorly at the Worlds. As per Nadeem, a 83.05m throw in Riyadh is not up to his standards and feels he is yet to be 100% fit after the surgery. He said:

Also Read: Neeraj Chopra vs Arshad Nadeem head-to-head: Who holds the superior H2H in men’s javelin throw?

“It gives me satisfaction that I could win another gold medal for my country, and I am always grateful to Almighty Allah for his blessings, but I am yet to get over the disappointment of the World Athletics Championships in September.

“I won gold here (Riyadh), but the recovery from surgery kept me from giving my best. A throw of 83.05m is not up to my standards as an Olympic champion,” he added. 

Nadeem’s season’s best of 86.40m came during the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, which helped him bag a gold medal.

Arshad Nadeem’s coach handed a lifetime ban

Salman Iqbal, who coached Arshad Nadeem and brought laurels for Pakistan in recent years, was handed a lifetime ban by the Pakistan Amateur Athletics Federation (PAAF) in October. Iqbal was found to violate the constitution of the Punjab Athletics Association, where he was presiding as the President. 

Iqbal held the Punjab Athletics Association elections without following the proper constitutional procedures and timelines in August. Then, the enquiry committee recommended the ban on Iqbal after his reply to the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) became public.

Also Read: Arshad Nadeem’s coach banned for life by Pakistan Athletics Federation

PSB wanted a clear explanation on why Nadeem failed to live up to the expectations in the World Athletics Championships. They also wanted to know about the expenses incurred by the javelin star for his training.

In his reply, Salman Iqbal admitted that the PAAF didn’t offer any financial help to Arshad Nadeem. Instead, he asked his friend to fund Nadeem’s training in South Africa. Iqbal’s response certainly undoubtedly caused a stir within the organization.

With this ban, he can neither participate in any athletics activities nor coach or hold office at any level.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram

​