Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone reigns supreme as the undisputed queen of the 400m hurdles, and her breathtaking performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics proved exactly that. However, fans rarely get the chance to witness her magic on the track, as McLaughlin-Levrone has been highly selective about her appearances. Back in June, her coach Bobby Kersee explained that they’ve been deliberately limiting her competitions to ensure she stays well-rested and in peak condition for the events she chooses to run. In fact, this year, the track sensation has only competed in three events.

On September 3, McLaughlin-Levrone announced her participation in the Brussels Diamond League later this month, entering both the 200m and 400m events via a wildcard entry. Track & Field Gazette quickly confirmed the news on X with the post, “CONFIRMED: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone 🇺🇸 will compete at the Diamond League final in Brussels!” But this announcement has stirred quite the debate among fans.

The controversy? Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will not be competing in the actual Diamond League final races. Instead, two special pre-programme races have been added to the schedule in her honor, celebrating her world record-breaking achievements. This comes after reports revealed she was technically ineligible for the Diamond League finals due to her limited number of appearances. But here’s the kicker: she’s the reigning Olympic champion and world record holder—shouldn’t that alone grant her a spot in the finals?

Her exclusion from the main events has left fans questioning the system, but McLaughlin-Levrone’s presence in Brussels—special race or not—will undoubtedly still be a spectacle for the ages.

The official Diamond League rules say otherwise. For the 25-year-old to be eligible, she would have had to compete in at least one Diamond League during the season. But she hadn’t competed in any – leaving her out of the finals. Instead of the finals, she will compete at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme. The 400m event takes place on September 13, while the 200m will be on September 14. 

Mclaughlin-Levrone will return to the track for the first time after her dominant performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 400m hurdles defending champion stunned the crowds by clinching an Olympic gold with a world-record time of 50.37s seconds. Many thought she would be done after resetting the WR for a 6th time. But she returned to the purple tracks for the 4x400m relay. Her blistering split of 47.71 seconds was instrumental in Team USA’s 3:15:27 victory.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Diamond League appearance leaves many seething

With so many twists and turns since the announcement, certain fans have seemed to have enough. One fan stated, “Lesson learnt, she’s not bigger than DL.” Many were initially perplexed about her appearance in the finals. With the recent update, they’re still confused about the situation. Another fan exclaimed, “This is so ridiculous lol! 2 special races, goes on to show why some athletes don’t take DL seriously.” While it isn’t odd to see races like this occur in the Diamond League, the circumstances don’t seem to sit well with this fan. 

A fan exclaimed, “Undermines all the other athletes. If she’s that good at 200/400, then show up at actual races, not just for a big pay day. Special treatment for big names is what’s wrong with the sport.” Athing Mu’s 2023 Diamond League final entry had garnered a similar reaction. However, unlike McLaughlin-Levrone, she not only contested but set a new American and meet record with her win. Another fan agreed, “Test her when she is not competing, ie the other 11 months a year.” Maybe this fan believes the results would differ if it wasn’t so close to the Paris Olympics. 

One fan questioned, “Against who – those who weren’t good enough to get into the actual final of those two events. She might as well make it a time trial & run the events on her own. Why is the world bowing to this diva nonsense????” The line-up for the pre-programme events is still a mystery. But this has only added to further confusion since the finalists would contest at the Brussels Diamond League Finals. Were you hoping to see Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in Brussels? Or do you agree with the fans?