systemic Doping in Pakistan Weightlifting and its Ramifications
Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator The recent decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport Anti-Doping Division (CAS ADD) to permanently disqualify Hafiz Imran Butt, former president of the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF), and Irfan Butt, a former national coach, represents one of the most significant disciplinary actions against leadership in national sport history. This ruling, coupled with the sanctioning of weightlifter Abubakar Ghani for tampering with doping control, exposes deep-rooted institutional failures within the PWLF and raises broader questions about governance, athlete welfare, and the integrity of competitive sport in Pakistan. A thorough analysis of this issue requires examining the effects of systemic doping, identifying who suffers most, understanding the root causes, and evaluating the long-term consequences for both the federation and national sport as a whole. The CAS ADD investigation, spanning violations between September 2014 a...