3 times Noah Lyles faced heavy backlash for his controversial statements ft. "World Champions of What?"

Noah Lyles recently made the headlines after qualifying for the Paris Olympics in the 100m and 200m at the US Olympic trials. However, in the past, he has made headlines for some of his statements that stirred controversy in the sports world and also faced heavy backlash for them.

1. "World Champions of what?"- Noah Lyles took a dig at the NBA

One of the controversies unintentionally created by the American sprinting sensation was during the 2023 World Athletics Championship. In the competition, Lyles claimed the title of '3-peat' champion after standing atop the podium in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m dash events. However, his bold remark about the World Champion title for the National Basketball Association Championship in the post-race interview sparked a debate.

Noah Lyles took a dig at the NBA teams calling themselves World Champions and said:

"You know what hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA Finals, and they have 'world champion' on their head. World Champions of what? The United States? Don't get me wrong. I love the US at times. But that ain't the world."

After this statement, multiple NBA players, such as Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, and the then-NBA champion Aaron Gordon criticized Lyles' comment.

Durant's reply to Lyles' statement was:

"Somebody help this brother."

Denver Nuggets' star, Aaron Gordon also took a dig at Lyles on Instagram and stated:

"Whatever... I'm smoking buddy in the 200m."

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2. Noah Lyles' Nike contract controversy

Another incident where the World Champion shared his opinions was when USATF and Nike made a $500 million collaboration. On June 11, 2024, RoriDunk, via X, reported information about how Nike's $500 million contract with USATF has influenced the latter's decision.

"Nike High School Nationals will also double as the USATF U20 Champs this weekend. Athletes who don't compete at this event will have no chance of making the US team this summer."

This captured the attention of the American sprinter, who responded to the tweet and wrote,

"I hate this so much. From the understanding that I have on this situation I feel this is another way of US Track and Field shooting itself in the foot."

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3. Noah Lyles' bold claim about breaking Usain Bolt's records

Noah Lyles spoke about breaking Usain Bolt's records in an interview with The Times, where he discussed his achievements and aspirations, stating that he will be going for four gold medals in the 2024 Summer Games. When asked about why he wished to clinch four medals, he said (as quoted by The Independent):

"Well, there have been multiple doubles, not a lot, but there have been plenty. I can grab three but Bolt has done that too. I can do two Olympics in a row, but Bolt has done that too."

He added:

"A field event? Nope, been done. So I really have to look. What's left on the table that could put me on my Mount Rushmore, make people say. 'Not only was he great, but he did something that hasn't been done."

He stressed on winning four medals and further added:

"What I want and expect are two different things. I expect to get multiple gold medals but what I want is four. I can definitely put a downpayment on two, but relays are a bit tricky.”

Following this, Lyles was shown a clip of Usain Bolt's reply on the "Tonight Show" hosted by Jimmy Fallon while he spoke about his aims and goals for the upcoming games. In the video, Bolt claimed that he wouldn't be happy if Lyles broke his record.

"Noah Lyles is a great athlete. He's full of energy, mentally he's very strong. He believes in himself, but if he breaks the world record, I'm not gonna be happy. Records are meant to be broken. I wish him all the best, but it's not gonna be easy," Usain Bolt said.

Notably, featuring in a podcast episode with Citius Mag last year, the 26-year-old addressed his claim of breaking the world record and gave his take on the controversy it caused.

"I'm here to run 9.65 & I'm here to run 19.10. The crazy thing is it causes so much controversy. Why should my dream or belief cause controversy with you? It has nothing to do with you. And If I don't get it and if I do get it how does it change your life?" Lyles said.

Noah Lyles produced a dominant performance at the US Olympic trials and qualified for the 100m and 200m dash races. He will next be seen competing against the likes of Kenny Bednarek, Fred Kerley, Kishane Thompson, and others at the 2024 Paris Olympics, slated to be held from July 26 - August 11.