Noah Lyles won three gold medals in Budapest. He secured top positions in all three events he participated in, the men’s 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. By doing so, he became only the 2nd athlete to complete a double win of 100m and 200m in the same world championship. A feat last achieved by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt in 2015. His hat trick of gold medals also meant that he was only the third athlete to achieve gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay after Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix. But despite his great performances, Lyles has been marred in controversy for some of his recent comments at a press conference.

After an emphatic run that saw Lyles successfully defending his 200m world champion crown, the American track star engaged in a press conference. Some of his remarks from the press conference have irked NBA players who attacked the sprinter on social media. However, amidst the controversy, one NFL linebacker has not only come to Lyles’ defense but also ended up attacking the NBA.

Noah Lyles finds an ally in Emmanuel Acho

During a recent press conference, Noah Lyles ended up offending some NBA players by saying, “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 champion of what? The United States?” This statement was not taken well by some NBA players and resulted in several basketball stars taking to social media to reply to Lyles’ remarks. Former Brooklyn Nets star and 3x Olympics gold medalist Kevin Durant reacted by writing, “Somebody help this brother.” NBA champion Aaron Gordon said, “Whatever… I’m smoking buddy in the 200m.” Lyles has been defended by Sha’Carri Richardson on X and now NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho has also sprung to Lyles’ support with his tweet.

Acho’s tweet highlighted that Lyles became a world champion only after defeating the top athletes of Japan, Jamaica, Great Britain, the U.S.A., and a host of other nations. He also threw shade at the NBA by writing, “It’s both ignorant & arrogant to refer to yourself as a world champion in a domestic sport.” In another tweet, Acho emphasized that one can only become a world champion after defeating the best athletes or teams from around the world. He also highlighted that, unlike American NBA players, no non-American NBA player has come forward yet and claimed that they have an issue with Lyles’ statement. Similarly to Acho, Lyles’ fellow teammate Sha’Carri Richardson has also defended the track star earlier on X.

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Sha’Carri Richardson defends her teammate

As Noah Lyles continues to find himself in an ongoing NBA controversy, his track teammate Sha’Carri Richardson has come to his defense. Richardson recently tweeted in support of Lyles on X. A part of her tweet read, “I’m standing with Noah on this one !!” and she also tagged Lyles. She further highlighted that in order to be called a world champion, one has to first battle against the world’s best teams or the best individuals in their sports. Richardson also emphasized that the NBA does have athletes from other countries, but they do not compete against teams from different countries.

“Is There Money on the Line?”: Noah Lyles Slams Critics While Shutting Down Usain Bolt Rivalry

Despite getting support from Richardson and Acho, it remains to be seen whether this issue will be settled soon or not. Fans will hope that Lyles can avoid all controversies and remain focused on his upcoming tournaments, including the 2023 Zurich Diamond League, before ultimately competing in next year’s Paris Olympics.

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