Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem’s disappointing performance at the Commonwealth Games has raised fresh questions about his preparation and support system as he begins the build-up to defending his Olympic title in 2028 in Los Angeles.

The Pakistani javelin thrower, who stunned the world by setting an Olympic record of 92.97 metres to win gold at the Paris Olympics, suffered an early exit in the Commonwealth Games finals in Glasgow on Friday after finishing ninth.

Arshad had only narrowly qualified for the 12-man finals. And in the finals he managed a best throw of 77.41 metres in his first three attempts, leaving him outside the top eight and ending his title defence before the final rounds.

The result marked a sharp contrast to his triumph at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where he won gold with a Games record throw of 90.18 metres.

Arshad has struggled to reproduce his best form since the Paris Olympics. Although he went on to win gold medals at the Islamic Games in Riyadh and the Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea, his winning throws were well below the standards he had established. He also failed to impress at a recent meet in Switzerland before his disappointing campaign in Glasgow.

Arshad appeared uncomfortable throughout the competition, with his body language suggesting he was not at his best.

Questions have also been raised over changes to the support structure that guided him to Olympic success.

Following the Paris Games, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) assumed responsibility for handling Arshad while the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP), which had overseen his international campaign, was largely limited to handling entries for international competitions.

Before Paris, Arshad worked with South African coach Terseus Liebenberg, England-based orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ali Sher Bajwa, coach Salman Butt and AFP officials as part of a wider support team.

Dr Bajwa said he was surprised by Arshad’s performance in Glasgow.

“I don’t know because I have not been with him this year and I was not in Glasgow,” Bajwa told The Express Tribune from England. “As far as I know, he is physically fit. It’s sad though. The performance is well below par.”

An AFP official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the federation believes restoring the previous support structure would give Arshad the best chance of returning to top form.

“I think Arshad will need to be brought again into a proper system handled by the Athletics Federation of Pakistan,” the official said.

“This is the only way that can help him bounce back in global events. We had built a strong team that prepared him for the Paris Olympics, and we believe we can do that again.”

Following his Olympic victory, Arshad had credited Liebenberg with playing a significant role in his success.

Arshad now faces an important period, with the Asian Games in Japan scheduled for September 19 to October 4 before attention turns to the World Championship 2027 and Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, where he is expected to defend his title.

But something different will be needed for resurrection. This correspondent tried to contact Arshad and Salman Butt but they did not receive calls.