Justin Gatlin Defends Noah Lyles’ Decision to Compete with COVID-19
Olympic Dreams Take Priority Over Health Concerns

Justin Gatlin has come to the defense of fellow athlete Noah Lyles, who faced criticism for competing in the 200-meter final at the Olympics despite being positive for COVID-19. In an interview, Gatlin expressed his understanding of Lyles’ decision, stating that the opportunity to win an Olympic medal outweighed the risks.

While many in the sports world felt that Lyles’ decision put his fellow competitors and others at risk, Gatlin took a more nuanced view. He acknowledged the seriousness of the disease, having lost a family member to it, but believed that advancements in medicine had mitigated some of the potential issues.

Gatlin emphasized that the Olympics only take place every four years, making this a unique opportunity for athletes like Lyles. “This is not like the NBA Finals where it happens every year, or the Super Bowl where it happens every year. It’s never a, ‘Well, you’ll get ’em next time!'” he said.

Lyles ultimately won the bronze medal in the 200-meter event despite his health issues. He later opted out of the 4×100 event to recover, but Gatlin believes that the outcome of that race could have been different with some minor adjustments, even without Lyles’ participation.

NBC Olympic coverage is exceptional but this their Achilles. All we hear is Noah Lyles, Noah Lyles.
Then Letsile Tebogo 🇧🇼 smokes him & field, then his story is told.
Tebogo 1st African & youngest ever 🥇 in 200m.
We love 🇺🇸 but we love greatness toopic.twitter.com/gzVCnh7HSt

— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) August 8, 2024
@MaxBretosSports