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World Athletics has promised to review the controversial Athlete of the Year format after coming under fire over their widely unpopular decision to split the award into three categories.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has noted his organisation will seek to review the controversial decision to split this year’s Athlete of the Year Award.
The athletics governing body has been on the receiving end of criticism in the last week when it went against the norm at the 2023 gala where instead of crowning one male and female Athlete of the Year, it feted three, categorising them in ‘track, field and out of stadia.’
Several athletes, past and present, as well as observers slammed World Athletics for ‘diluting’ the awards while others, including world 100m and 200m champion and former 400m world record holder Michael Johnson, terming it disrespectful given there were no prior consultations.
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13:00 - 19.12.2023
ATHLETICS World Athletics boss fires back at Noah Lyles over controversial Athlete of the Year Awards decision
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has responded to American sprint king Noah Lyles over his criticism of the decision to split the 2023 World Athlete of the Year awards
“Look, at the end of everything, whether it is our administration, our competitions, the way we do our business, we review everything and so we will look at that,” Coe told Nation Sports.
“But I know that we were trying very much to reflect what our athletes were telling us. But not everybody can win everything they think they are going to win and that is the nature of an open vote.”
“You as journalists had a vote, the athletics family had a vote, my (World Athletics) Council had a vote and it was open to public voting as well and they will all make a particular view.”
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14:42 - 16.12.2023
ATHLETICS Michael Johnson calls out World Athletics over ‘flawed & disrespectful’ Athlete of the Year Awards decision
American sprint legend Michael Johnson has continued his criticism over what he terms a flawed and disrespectful approach by World Athletics to split the 2023 Athlete of the Year awards
While World Athletics defended itself over the decision, saying it was in line with the desires of many stakeholders, it seems to have backfired, hence the move to change.
“We will review it in the next few weeks and see what we learn,” added Coe.
“But what we trying to do is to reflect the fact, and the athletes and the athletes’ commission made this point to me as well, that we are a sport of many different disciplines and we are not just about track and that is what we were trying to reflect.”
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06:32 - 15.12.2023
ATHLETICS Noah Lyles doubles down on his criticism of 2023 World Athlete of the Year Awards debacle
American sprint king Noah Lyles has continued his criticism over how World Athletics handled the 2023 World Athlete of the Year Awards.
At the 2023 awards, Lyles was crowned Male Athlete of the Year (Track), last year’s winner Mondo Duplantis awarded Male Athlete of the Year (Field) while Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum was named male Athlete of the Year (Out of Stadia).
The women’s category had Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon winning the ‘track’ award while Yulimar Rojas and Tigist Assefa were handed field and out of stadia awards respectively.
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