 Anti-Doping Division has imposed lifetime bans on suspended Pakistan Weightlifting Federation chief){kind=link}
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Anti-Doping Division has imposed lifetime bans on suspended Pakistan Weightlifting Federation chief Hafiz Imran Butt and coach Irfan Butt for their involvement in administering banned substances to athletes, including minors, between 2014 and 2016.
In its detailed ruling, the CAS Anti-Doping Division found both officials guilty of playing a central role in a widespread doping network within Pakistan’s weightlifting ecosystem. The tribunal stated that the duo had directly facilitated the use of prohibited substances, including steroids, among athletes.
“Given the nature and severity of their conduct, each individual was sanctioned with the maximum period of ineligibility applicable, being a lifetime ban,” the tribunal said. The ruling effectively bars both Hafiz Imran Butt and Irfan Butt from participating in any activity organised by signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code, in any capacity.
Both officials had already been suspended by the Pakistan Sports Board in November last year following anti-doping violations.
In a related development, Pakistani weightlifter Abubakar Ghani has been handed a four-year ban after being found guilty of submitting falsified medical prescriptions to justify a failed doping test.
Ghani had earlier tested positive for the banned hormone and metabolic modulator Tamoxifen metabolite during the 2021 World Championships held in Tashkent. While he had already served a two-year suspension for that violation, further investigation revealed that he had attempted to manipulate the process by providing forged documents—leading to an additional charge of “tampering with the doping control process.”
The CAS confirmed the anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) and imposed a fresh four-year period of ineligibility, effective from March 6, 2026, and running until March 5, 2030.
The fallout from the case may extend further. The Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF), already serving a one-year suspension due to previous doping offences, could face additional disciplinary action.
According to CAS, the confirmation of multiple anti-doping violations involving athletes and support personnel may trigger further proceedings under the International Weightlifting Federation’s anti-doping rules.
The case marks one of the most serious crackdowns on doping in Pakistan’s sporting history, raising concerns about systemic issues within the federation and the broader need for stricter enforcement of anti-doping regulations.