What's happened
The US men's 4x100m relay team was disqualified from the Olympic final in Paris, extending their medal drought to 20 years. The disqualification followed a collision during the baton exchange, prompting criticism from track legends like Carl Lewis, who called for a complete overhaul of USA Track and Field's system.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, Carl Lewis stated, "It is time to blow up the system," criticizing USA Track and Field for prioritizing relationships over performance. The Independent echoed this sentiment, noting that the US team has now failed to medal in the men's 4x100m relay for five consecutive Olympics, highlighting a pattern of mistakes and disqualifications. Michael Johnson added that the situation is "laughable" and indicative of deeper issues within the team structure. Both sources emphasize the urgent need for reform in the coaching and management of the team to prevent future failures.
How we got here
The US men's relay team has struggled in recent Olympics, failing to medal since 2000. Their latest disqualification follows a series of mishaps, including a failure to qualify in Tokyo 2021 and previous disqualifications in Rio 2016 and Beijing 2008.
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