In the world of track and field, making history is supposed to guarantee accolades. But for Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, a historic triple-gold performance at the World Championships wasn’t enough to even be named a finalist for the Female Track Athlete of the Year Award. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone claimed that honor as well as the overall Women’s World Athlete of the Year as she secured the women’s 400m world title at the Tokyo World Championships, while Femke Bol was the finalist.

This snub, described by Jefferson-Wooden herself as “a slap in the face,” ignited a firestorm of criticism and forced a reckoning within the sport’s governing body. However, in light of the growing backlash, as reported by LetsRun.com, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe stated, “It’s a democratic vote, we respect the results. But again, we want to make sure that the voting structure is optimizing our opportunities to promote and celebrate the best of their generation.”

Sebastian Coe also said that World Athletics is currently reviewing the voting process to determine if any changes need to be made.

The current system, which has drawn scrutiny for its opacity, involves a panel of experts compiling a nominee list, followed by a vote where the World Athletics Council holds 50% of the weight, the “World Athletics Family” holds 25%, and a public social media vote accounts for the final 25%. Nonetheless, the organization refrains from disclosing the voting totals, a decision that raises questions about transparency.

The controversy surrounding Jefferson-Wooden’s omission marks yet another chapter in a series of contentious decisions that have plagued the awards in recent years.

In 2023, World Athletics unexpectedly divided the award into distinct categories for track, field, and out-of-stadium events, doing so without giving advance notice to the nominees. The subsequent year witnessed Julien Alfred’s controversial selection as a finalist, overshadowing Beatrice Chebet.

The case of Jefferson-Wooden, however, emerged as an important turning point. Her remarkable, unbeaten season, featuring a world-leading time of 10.61 seconds in the 100m and an impressive tally of 20 victories out of 22 races, has seemingly gone largely unnoticed, if the awards are to be a barometer.

The decision elicited a response from fellow Olympic champion Noah Lyles, who described the award as “kind of a joke.”

Adding another perspective on the Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s award controversy

Olympian Fred Kerley sat down with Anson Henry of Unconventional Productions, during which they discussed Femke Bol’s nomination as a finalist for the female track athlete of the year award, sharing the spotlight with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

As athletes such as Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet, and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden shine in their respective seasons, Kerley has expressed his skepticism regarding Bol’s inclusion as a finalist.

“They’re trying to compare the two [Sydney and Femke], and you can’t really compare the two. There’s nothing against Fica [Femke Bol]. There’s nothing wrong with her, but she doesn’t deserve to be on that line this year!” Kerley said.

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“It’s no such thing to be on that line when you really have not done anything, really. Sydney will break a record every time she steps on the 400-meter hurdle. That’s the standard in that event right there. So you just won a gold in an event that Sydney ain’t run. And if Sydney was around that, would you be into the thing?”

Indeed, Bol’s performance perhaps pales in comparison to that of the other nominees. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden secured three World titles. In a remarkable display of athletic prowess, Beatrice Chebet secured two gold medals at the World Athletics Championship, triumphing in both the 5000m and 10000m events, while also shattering the existing world record in the 5000m. Faith Kipyegon clinched the gold medal in the 1500m event, while securing a silver in the 5000m, finishing just behind Chebet.

For World Athletics, this controversy serves as a pivotal examination of its commitment to fairly recognizing its athletes while maintaining the reputation of the award. If change occurs, it will be steered by the question raised by Jefferson-Wooden’s season: what more could an athlete possibly achieve?