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KARACHI, August 25, 2026: Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem has travelled to South Africa for a training camp without obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), raising questions about the arrangements for Pakistan’s leading javelin thrower.
A well-placed PSB source said Nadeem did not inform the board before leaving Pakistan. The athlete is currently training in South Africa under coach Terseus Liebenberg.
The source confirmed that the PSB has no record of issuing an NOC for the training trip. The development has also raised questions about responsibility for Nadeem’s arrangements while he is abroad.
“If he faces any issue, who will be responsible?” the source said.
The 29-year-old athlete is preparing for two important international competitions next month.
Nadeem is expected to compete at the World Ultimate Athletics Championship in Hungary from September 11 to 13. He will then travel to Japan for the Asian Games, which are scheduled from September 19 to October 4.
The South Africa camp is aimed at helping him regain consistency and confidence before the competitions.
The training programme is being conducted under Liebenberg, who has expressed confidence in the Olympic champion’s ability to return to his best form.
Nadeem’s decision to arrange the training camp independently has drawn attention because the PSB has played a central role in his affairs since his historic Olympic victory.
At the Paris Olympics, Nadeem became Pakistan’s first individual Olympic champion. He won the javelin gold medal with a throw of 92.97 metres.
Since that achievement, the Athletics Federation of Pakistan has had limited involvement in his management. The PSB and coach Salman Butt have instead been involved in overseeing his affairs.
The latest development could therefore prompt questions about coordination between the athlete and Pakistan’s sports authorities.
Attempts to contact Nadeem and Butt for their comments were unsuccessful.
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Nadeem’s decision to train in South Africa comes after a disappointing performance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The defending champion finished ninth in the 12-man final. As a result, he failed to qualify for the top eight and missed out on the additional three attempts awarded to the leading athletes.
The result was a significant contrast to his performance at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Nadeem won gold at those Games with a Games-record throw of 90.18 metres.
His performance at the Paris Olympics was even more impressive. His 92.97-metre throw secured gold and set an Olympic record.
Despite the recent setback, Liebenberg believes Nadeem can rediscover his best form.
The coach said the athlete had shown remarkable determination throughout his career. He noted that Nadeem had persevered for years before becoming Pakistan’s first individual Olympic champion.
Liebenberg said such a major achievement naturally required the athlete to reset and establish new goals.
He also praised Nadeem’s mental strength. According to the coach, the Olympic champion remains capable of returning to the highest level of international competition.
Nadeem has continued to win major titles since his Olympic triumph. He claimed gold at the Islamic Games and Asian Championships, although his winning distances have not reached the extraordinary levels seen in Paris.
The upcoming training period could prove important for Nadeem as he seeks to rebuild his form.
His immediate target is the World Ultimate Athletics Championship in Hungary. The Asian Games in Japan will follow shortly after.
For Pakistan, Nadeem remains one of the country’s biggest medal hopes on the international stage.
The focus will now be on whether the South Africa camp can help the Olympic champion regain the consistency and distance that made him one of the world’s leading javelin throwers.
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