Pakistan’s Olympic hero Arshad Nadeem, who made history with a record-breaking 92.97-meter javelin throw to secure the country’s first individual gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has publicly exposed the government’s failure to deliver on promised land plots.

Speaking to the media in London, the 28-year-old athlete revealed that while he received most of the announced cash rewards and other gifts, the pledges of residential plots from federal and provincial authorities were “fake” and never materialized.

“They made many announcements, especially about plots of land. But if you look at the reality, none of those materialized. Alhamdulillah, I have received all the other rewards,” Nadeem stated, highlighting a stark contrast between the government’s public promises and their follow-through.

Following his Olympic victory, Nadeem was showered with accolades, including cash prizes and other rewards; however, the promised land allocations, widely publicized by housing societies and government officials, remain unfulfilled.

Nadeem’s revelation has sparked widespread criticism of Pakistan’s sports administration, raising questions about the credibility of public reward announcements. The athlete’s comments echo sentiments expressed by fellow javelin thrower Yasir Sultan, who, in August 2024, lamented the government’s failure to deliver a promised Rs. 5 million for his bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championship.