A surprising snub at the recent BET Awards has reignited discussions around track and field star Noah Lyles‘ controversial views on American sports. Lyles, known for his incredible speed and outspoken nature, previously stirred controversy by claiming the NBA’s “world champions” title was misleading.

In an interview, Lyles voiced his argument that this title should be reserved for those who succeed globally, like in the Olympics. His exclusion at the BET Awards underscores his perspective on national versus international recognition in sports. Lyles’ lack of nomination in a BET Awards category dominated by NBA names might just prove him correct.

Noah Lyles’ snub speaks of a deeper issue

In a recent Deadline report, the nominees for the 2024 BET Awards were announced. However, the absence of Olympic sprinter Noah Lyles from the nominees for the Sportsman of the Year Award led to much speculation. This snub comes as a surprise after Lyles is nominated amongst the best of the best in the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year nomination. A category where Novak Djokovic won. 

This proves the point Noah Lyles made after his double gold medal win at the 2023 World Championships in 100m and 200m. In the press conference, he mocked the NBA champions calling themselves the “world champions” even though the NBA only contains teams from North America.

In an interview, he said, “You know the thing that 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?” He continued saying, “That is not the world, we are the world. We have almost every country out here fighting, thriving, putting up their flag to show that they are represented. There ain’t no flags in the NBA!”

But this had garnered Lyles some flack, especially from the likes of Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard. The BET award nominations involve a voting academy of around 500 people who nominate deserving names in all categories. Lyles’ lack of nominations in the BET Award nominations, highlights potential biases in the selection process. Though it consists of several talented athletes like Stephen Curry and Sha’Carri Richardson, they’re all Americans.

Another question that may arise is whether the snub came because of racial bias, but it can be easily dispelled. BET Networks and the National Basketball Players Association collaborate annually on basketball player awards, showcasing their strong partnership. This collaboration underscores their joint effort to celebrate achievements within the African-American community. So it cannot be that athletes like Lyles are being overlooked for their race. 

Systematic erasure of international athletes from sports history

After Lyles mocked the NBA, athletes like Kevin Durant pointed out the global nature of the NBA with players from around the world. This shows the difference of opinion from international players like Lyles and the domestic perspective within the NBA. American media and pop culture have elevated stars like LeBron James and Michael Jordan.

They often overshadow talents from other parts of the world. This disparity has led to the under-appreciation of numerous global talents in the sports realm. This has prevented international athletes from receiving the same popularity as NBA players. Especially Greek-Nigerian Giannis Antetokounmpo, Slovenian Luka Dončić, and Serbian Nikola Jokić; all of whom are indispensable to their basketball teams.

The issue extends beyond fame; international athletes face challenges securing brand deals and sponsorships compared to Americans. This underscores broader inequities in the sports industry. This opens up an important discussion about how award ceremonies and sports leagues systematically exclude international players from being celebrated.