Nooh Butt to miss this year's Asian Games, Paris Olympics

In a setback to Pakistan's renowned weightlifter Nooh Butt, he has been excluded from this year's Asian Games and Paris Olympics.

Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF) had claimed that Nooh was a part of the parallel weightlifting interim committee which led to his exclusion from both events. 

However, Butt denied the allegations and wants to continue representing Pakistan in the future.

The Commonwealth Games gold medalist also shared a letter, which expressed reservations over his inclusion in the weightlifting event of the ongoing National Games in Quetta, by the PWLF.

“I, unfortunately, won’t be able to participate in future weightlifting competitions — be it National Games (2023) or international competitions like Asian Games (2023) or Olympic Games (2024) — as I have been alleged to be a member of a parallel weightlifting interim committee by the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWF). As a result, I won’t be given an opportunity or platform to participate in future competitions,” Butt said on his official Instagram account.

“I will come out and state openly that I am not a part of any parallel weightlifting interim committee in both word and deed.

“I am only here for the weightlifting game, and I appeal to the Pakistani authorities and the public for their support, so that I can bring more medals and glory to Pakistan. Period.”

Earlier, Ghulam Dastgir Butt, father of Nooh, had also stated that his son is not registered with the interim committee which has been formed by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to run the weightlifting affairs in the country.

“Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF) claims that my son Nooh Dastgir Butt is registered with the interim committee. It’s a false claim. I am father of weightlifters Nooh Dastgir Butt and Hanzala Dastgir Butt and we have never indulged in any kind of politics and have never been part of any parallel body,” Ghulam Dastgir told ‘The News’ earlier this month.

“We have also emailed the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and PWLF and informed them that we are not part of any politics. We play weightlifting and we will continue playing weightlifting. We are not associated with any kind of politics,” he added.