Pakistan Sports Board bans weightlifting officials and players over doping violations
Sports
The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has slapped bans on several weightlifters and officials after confirmed anti-doping violations under WADA and ITA’s “Operation Jasmine.”
ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has imposed strict bans on a number of officials and athletes associated with the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWF) following confirmed anti-doping rule violations.
According to a PSB spokesperson, the decision came after findings from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Testing Agency (ITA) under the global investigation known as “Operation Jasmine.”
Those banned include Sharjeel Butt, Abdul Rehman, Ghulam Mustafa, Farhan Majeed, Hafiz Imran Butt (former PWF President), Irfan Butt (Coach), and Waqas Akbar (Coach).
Under the decision, the players and coaches will remain banned for the full duration of their international suspensions, while the officials have been suspended for four years from all sports-related activities. The PSB confirmed that the ban is effective immediately.
These sanctions stem from a series of incidents beginning in 2021, when multiple athletes allegedly dodged dope tests and later tested positive. Their cases were upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) earlier in 2025, leading to long-term suspensions.
The PSB clarified that all banned individuals are barred from participating in any sports events or administrative activities until the end of their disqualification periods.
Copies of the decision have been forwarded to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF), WADA, ITA, CAS, and the Pakistan Olympic Association for record and implementation.
Pakistan Sports Board, PSB, weightlifting, doping ban, WADA, ITA, Operation Jasmine, anti-doping, sports suspension, CAS, IOC, Pakistan Weightlifting Federation, Islamabad
