In a rally cry against the persistent issues of pay disparity and athlete disrespect, track and field star Noah Lyles has added his voice to the movement. Sharing the same sentiments as Sha’Carri Richardson from the USATF Outdoor Championships, “y’all should respect athletes more,” Lyles, too, is advocating for greater respect towards athletes.

The stage was set at the recent Tom Jones Memorial, where the 6x world champion kicked off his 2024 outdoor season with a splendid victory in the 100m dash. However, amidst the celebrations, a less-than-impressive introduction by the commentators stirred Lyles’ frustration.

Taking to social media, Lyles shared his disappointment, calling for commentators to do research before athletes. The caption of his X-post read, “These commentators need to do their research before introducing athletes. We work too hard for our accolades and I’ve heard too many times them not given to us.” Moreover, this is not the first time Noah has spoken out against the inequalities within the world of sports.

Last year, Noah Lyles sparked controversy with his critique of the NBA’s use of the term, “world champions,” highlighting the disparity in recognition between basketball and track and field. He stated, “World champion of what? The US?” Although the likes of Sha’Carri Richardson stood by his side, “I’m standing with Noah on this one !! @LylesNoah  the organization has players from different countries but do they compete against different countries. You have to go against the world in order to be a world champion!!”

Later, in a conversation with former football wide receiver Brandon Marshall, he reflected on that, saying the difference in recognition between basketball and track and field in the US hurts him. “Being a track athlete living in the US trying to run and build your career, you can start to get this idea that you are only cared about for four years and you’re in a dying sport,” Lyles stated. Then, he elaborated on the issue, referring to basketball, he said, “…You watch a sport that is very publicized…then they put world championship there and on their hats…were it’s like…you have actual world champions and we are ready to just as much work  and show our journey…and we are just not paid attention to…so it hurts.” 

Besides advocating for the sport beyond the tracks, Sha’Carri Richardson’s dedication to elevating the sport is quite evident. In 2022, the track queen highlighted the disparity where the media profit from athlete interviews while athletes get a dime.

Justice for Athletes?

Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles aren’t just exceptional athletes; they are also vocal advocates for justice within the sports world. Richardson’s statement last year regarding media treatment and payoff disparities has sparked important conversations. Following the 2022 USATF Outdoor Championship, she boldly addressed the media’s lack of respect for athletes, emphasizing the need for understanding and empathy. To be precise, she stated,

“when you guys do interviews y’all should respect athletes more, y’all should understand them coming from whether they’re winning, whether they’re losing, whatever the case may be athletes deserve way more respect than when y’all just come and throw cameras into their faces. Understand how athlete operates and then ask your questions, then be more understanding of the fact that they are still human. No matter just the fact that y’all just trying to get something to put out an article to make a dollar thank you.”

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In July 2023, she also compared the prize money USATF decided for the first prize, $8000, to that of a hot dog eating contest where the prize money was $10000. She even took to her social account to state, “USATF Championship this weekend first place only gets $8,000. What would y’all do if decide to boycott because the disrespect is bold now. Then see us at meets and try to smile in our faces when half of the athletes you speak to are the same people y’all are hurting!!”

And again, in Dec 2023, when the Team USA posted about their funds, “100% of Donations to the Team USA Fund goes to the athletes and the high-performance programming that supports them.” To this, Sha’Carri revolted by re-posting on her social media, “Do not donate. The athletes that need this money don’t see it.”

Sha’Carri Richardson is definitely set to revolutionize the world of athletics, and Noah Lyles is joining her now. With World Athletics announcing the $50,000 prize money for all Olympic gold medalists, Richardson’s response is widely awaited!