‘92 metres and counting’: Arshad impresses Fifa’s Infantino at Dubai event

DUBAI: Olympic javelin star Arshad Nadeem met Fifa President Gianni Infantino during the World Sports Summit in Dubai, where the football chief acknowledged familiarity with the Pakistani athlete’s achievements.

The interaction took place on the sidelines of the summit, where Infantino asked Nadeem about his throwing distance. “It was a 92-metre throw, and now I want to break that record,” Nadeem told the Fifa president.

Infantino expressed goodwill for the Pakistani athlete and posed for photographs with him during the meeting. The Fifa chief’s awareness of Nadeem’s accomplishments pleasantly surprised the Olympic champion. Separately, Nadeem was presented with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award in the Global Breakthrough Athlete category at the World Sports Summit, in the presence of prominent figures from the global sporting community.

“From the field to global forums—sport truly speaks one language. A privilege to meet FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the World Sports Summit,” Arshad wrote on X.

Pakistan’s Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem was honored with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award on Monday in the “Global Breakthrough Athlete” category during the World Sports Summit. Nadeem was recognized for his historic performance at the Paris Olympics, where he won gold with a throw of 92.97 metres. His achievement surpassed the previous Olympic record held by Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen for 16 years, marking Pakistan’s first-ever Olympic gold in an individual sport. After the ceremony, Arshad Nadeem described the award as a source of immense pride for him and his country. He stated that international recognition would motivate young athletes and boost the popularity of javelin throwing in Pakistan. He also mentioned that his upcoming goals are the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. He expressed that receiving a distinguished sports award from Dubai’s government has renewed his confidence and drive. Sports Desk