ISLAMABAD: Dr Sohail Saleem has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Pakistan Anti-Doping Board in MP II Scale under the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) for a period of three years.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan has approved his appointment through a notification as per terms and condition laid down in MP II Scale as per the Management Position Policy 2020. Sohail Saleem holds vast experience as a sports medicine specialist, working as the Pakistan Cricket Board Medical Board head from where he resigned a few years back.
After months of uncertainty, Pakistan has officially been cleared recently from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) compliance watch-list, following a decision of WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo), a breakthrough that safeguards the country’s athletes from international sanctions.
The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) implemented urgent reform that included: Adoption of new anti-doping rules compliant with the 2021 WADA Code. Establishment of independent results management and hearing panels, as required under the ISRM.
Revision of Pakistan’s Test Distribution Plan (TDP) to align with WADA’s risk-based testing strategy under the ISTI. Legal and procedural amendments ensuring ADOP’s decisions carried enforceable authority within Pakistan’s sports system.
In early 2025, Pakistan submitted evidence of these reforms to WADA’s Code Compliance Centre (CCC). The CCC validated the corrective actions and recommended closure of the case. At its September 2025 meeting, WADA’s Executive Committee accepted the CCC’s recommendation, confirming that:
“All pending non-conformities by the National Anti-Doping Organization of Pakistan have been resolved. The compliance procedure is hereby closed.” The decision removed Pakistan from the compliance watchlist and ended enhanced monitoring.
The clearance ensured Pakistan’s athletes can compete under their national flag at upcoming global events without the risk of neutral status. It also restored Pakistan’s eligibility to host regional competitions and maintain its role within the global anti-doping community.
