ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) on Monday announced bans on multiple athletes and officials linked to the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWF) following conclusive anti-doping violations confirmed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Testing Agency (ITA) under ‘Operation JASMINE’.
Those banned include athletes Sharjeel Butt, Abdul Rehman, Ghulam Mustafa, Farhan Majeed, and officials Hafiz Imran Butt (former PWF president), Irfan Butt (coach), and Waqas Akbar (coach). The PSB stated that athletes and coaches will remain barred for the full duration of their international bans, while officials are prohibited from all sports-related activities for four years, effective immediately.
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The sanctions follow events dating back to 2021, when several athletes evaded testing and later tested positive for banned substances. These suspensions were confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport Anti-Doping Division (CAS ADD) in early 2025. Operation JASMINE investigated allegations that some PWF officials directed weightlifters to refuse sample collection and provided advance notice of testing in violation of international standards.
The PSB emphasised that the banned individuals cannot participate in any sports activity, hold office, or access PSB facilities until the expiry of their ineligibility period. The board reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to clean competition and zero tolerance for doping. Notifications of the bans have been sent to the International Olympic Committee, Olympic Council of Asia, International and Asian Weightlifting Federations, WADA, ITA, CAS, and national bodies.
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Earlier measures against PWF included nullifying its elections in February 2025, blocking its bank account in August, and forming a three-member interim committee to oversee federation affairs. The PSB reiterated its resolve to uphold integrity and transparency in Pakistani sports.