Pakistan’s seasoned weightlifter and 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games gold medallist Nooh Dastgir Butt has expressed deep frustration over the country’s weightlifting crisis, saying the International Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) ban on the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWF) has derailed his career and cost Pakistan medals at major international events.
In an interview with The Express Tribune, Nooh revealed that the ongoing crisis has left him unsettled and confused about his future in the sport. “I am doing preparation, but how can you do it with a big heart when there is no participation in sight in any major event?” he said. “I am confronting the bad time of my career. When I settled my affairs with the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation, it was banned by the IWF.”
Nooh was invited to appear in trials for next month’s Asian Games in Japan but chose not to attend, citing a lack of faith that Pakistan would eventually send a team. “Yes, I had been invited for the trials, but I did not go as I knew that nothing would happen and the team would not be sent,” he said.
Nooh questioned Pakistan’s failure to send weightlifters to the recently concluded Commonwealth Games, where he believes the country could have won multiple medals. “Had they sent us to Glasgow, I was sure of winning gold, as the gold in my weight category came with 389kg, while I had lifted 405kg at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games,” he said.
He also identified Talha Talib, his brother Hanzala Dastgir Butt and Haider Ali as capable of winning medals, lamenting that Pakistan missed another opportunity for international success.
David Liti of New Zealand won gold in the restructured 109kg plus category in Glasgow with a combined lift of 389kg, edging India’s Lovepreet Singh, who lifted 388kg. England’s Andre Griffiths took bronze. At Birmingham in 2022, Nooh won gold with 405kg, while Liti took silver with 394kg and India’s Gurdeep Singh claimed bronze with 390kg.
After missing out on the Commonwealth Games and facing uncertainty over the Asian Games, Nooh has now set his sights on the South Asian Games, which Pakistan is scheduled to host early next year. “Now I want to do my best in the South Asian Games. As I will be competing on home soil, I want to pull off a stunning performance,” he said.
Regarding his bid for the 2028 Olympics, Nooh believes he can qualify if the weightlifting crisis is resolved urgently. “I am working hard, but there is nothing solid in sight. If you don’t have a target, how can you go for full-fledged preparation? I am really unsettled and confused. Sometimes I think I have wasted my prime time, but I cannot leave this game as I have spent so many years here,” he lamented.
The PWF is currently facing an IWF ban over doping-related violations. Several leading Pakistani weightlifters and federation officials, including former PWF President Hafiz Imran Butt and his son Irfan Butt, have been handed life bans. Hafiz Imran Butt’s nephew Jibran Butt is handling the PWF as its new chief.
The federation is also required to pay a substantial fine before the IWF ban can be lifted. A source familiar with the matter said the outstanding amount has reached around $30,000. Unless the dues are cleared, the IWF ban will remain in place, preventing Pakistan’s weightlifters from competing in international events.
According to well-placed sources familiar with PWF affairs, an Executive Committee meeting was held in Lahore a few days ago and was handled by officials who are themselves banned. The sources said the move was contrary to the IOC Charter and IWF regulations.
The future of Pakistan’s weightlifting now depends on resolving the IWF ban by clearing the outstanding dues and addressing governance issues within the federation. The South Asian Games, scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan early next year, may offer a glimmer of hope for athletes like Nooh, but the ban must be lifted before any participation becomes possible.
Nooh Dastgir Butt’s frustration reflects the broader crisis facing Pakistan weightlifting. As the country’s top athletes remain sidelined by administrative failures and an international ban, Pakistan continues to lose opportunities for glory on the world stage. The urgent need for reform and resolution has never been clearer.
