On Sunday, four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson was left agitated. He stood up to the media for their lack of concern for the out-of-breath athletes. The former world champion, who now works as a business performance speaker, often expresses his opinion on other social media topics. He is most active on Twitter and uses the platform to talk about the injustice done to athletes. This time, he took a strong stand against on-field reporters who hassle athletes for an interview right after a race.

On Saturday, Michael publicly supported athletes like Teahna Daniels and Noah Lyles, who are actively protesting the USATF’s policy on media representations. The sporting world and the media have no regard for the well-being of athletes. Michael’s outspokenness and advocacy for their rights have received support from people on the internet.

Michael Johnson’s Criticism of On-Field Reporters

Michael’s latest tweet was regarding former champion Wilhem Belocian. Wilhelm took part in the La Chaux de Fonds, which is a World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger meet. Think of it as the European equivalent of the U.S. World Championship trials. Athletes competing in the meet hope to qualify for the World Championship Games and the upcoming 2024 Olympics. Among the athletes competing in the 110m hurdles was Wilhem Belocian. He performed best to date and finished the race with his personal best of 13.07. The star athlete now occupies the third rank on the all-time list in Europe.

Right after Belocian had finished the hurdle, a reporter had walked up to him to know his thoughts. The athlete was heavily panting and could mutter a few words before the reporter cut him off with his monologue. This has not sat well with Michael Johnson. He did not hide his displeasure with the reporter’s behavior, expressing his frustration on social media in a tweet. Johnson emphasized the importance of allowing athletes to share their thoughts and feelings after a race. He says it is the proper thing to do.

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Michael Johnson Advocating for Athletes’ Voices in the Media

In the same tweet, he said athletes put their heart and soul into winning a match. It is only fair that they are given a platform to express their emotions and thoughts after the competition. The media limits their window to speak after a match, perpetrating a great injustice against the athletes. Due to the fatigue from the race, most athletes find themselves unable to express themselves fully.

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He urges the media to give the sportsmen 10 minutes to recover their strength and gather their thoughts before conducting interviews. Johnson, who has first-hand experience, has taken up the cause. Who knows, his involvement may spark a change in the media’s attitude toward athletes.

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