Hafiz Imran Butt, suspended President of Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF), along with his son Irfan Butt has been issued show cause notice for violation of Anti Doping Rules (ADR). The PWLF, already suspended by PSB since August 2022, is under intense scrutiny by( ITA) International Testing Agency, following the revelation of widespread doping violations involving its top officials and numerous athletes. Hafiz Imran Butt and his son İrfan Butt, a so- called coach, have been implicated for ADR violations. They have been charged for possession of prohibited substances, administration of prohibited doping substances and complicity for ADR violations, under different provisions of the International Weightlifting Federation Anti-Doping Rules (IWF ADR).
The investigation, led by the International Testing Agency (ITA), has revealed a pattern of serious misconduct on the part of Hafiz Imran Butt, his son Irfan Butt and Amjad Amin Butt, his close associate and suspended VP of PWLF. More than six athletes, including Talha Talib, Abu Bakar Ghani, Sharjeel Butt, Abdul Rehman, Ghulam Mustafa and Farhan Amjad (last three are sons of Amjad Amin Butt), have already been found guilty of doping violations and are suffering 4 years ban. Additionally, Coach Waqas Akbar has also been implicated in similar offenses.
The repeated violations have triggered Article 12.31 of the IWF ADR. This provision mandates that cases involving three or more athletes or officials from a single federation committing ADR violations within a 12-month period be referred to the IWF’s Independent Member Federation Sanctioning Panel (IMFSP), for determination of appropriate consequences, which may include suspensions, fines and the withdrawal of rights such as participation in any competition.
The systemic corruption within the Suspended PWLF has cast a long shadow over Pakistan’s weightlifting community. İts failure to uphold clean sport principles has not only tarnished its reputation but has also brought disgrace to the country on the international stage.
PSB is expected to look into the matter and take strict disciplinary measure against the defaulters.
