The International Testing Agency (ITA) has confirmed that Amjad Amin Butt, former Vice-President of the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation, and coach Waqas Akbar have both been sanctioned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s Anti-Doping Division (CAS ADD) for anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs). Each individual has been handed a four-year ineligibility period, effective from 24 February 2025 to 23 February 2029.
This sanction follows a detailed investigation into their roles in a failed out-of-competition sample collection attempt, where four Pakistani weightlifters refused to provide samples. The violations are related to Article 2.5 (Tampering with Doping Control) and Article 2.9 (Complicity) of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Anti-Doping Rules (ADR). The cases were referred to the CAS ADD after the ITA’s investigation concluded.
A hearing for both Butt and Akbar took place on 8 November 2024, and on 24 February 2025, CAS ADD issued its ruling, finding that both had violated anti-doping regulations. The decision allows for appeals by the affected parties, including the IWF, ITA, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the Pakistan National Anti-Doping Organisation.
Further investigations are ongoing into alleged doping-related activities involving former Pakistan Weightlifting Federation President Hafiz Imran Butt and former coach Irfan Butt, relating to incidents between 2014 and 2016. The ITA has completed its results management process and will refer these cases to CAS ADD, seeking confirmation of violations under Article 2.6 (Possession of Prohibited Substances), Article 2.8 (Administration of Prohibited Substances), and Article 2.9 (Complicity) of the IWF ADR.
In addition to individual sanctions, the case has triggered Article 12.3 of the IWF ADR, due to multiple ADRVs within a 12-month period by members of the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation. As a result, the case has been referred to the IWF’s Independent Member Federation Sanctioning Panel (IMFSP), which will determine further consequences. The proceedings are ongoing.
These actions emphasize the continued efforts of the ITA and CAS ADD to uphold anti-doping standards in weightlifting and address misconduct within national federations.
