The Paris Olympics had already gained widespread flak from the global audience and sports fans since the opening ceremony on the Seine. And now, the chaos that unfolded at Stade de France during the women’s 100m semi-final on Saturday, August 3rd, has only added fuel to the fire for the organizers of the XXXIII Olympiad.

Picture this: Sha’Carri Richardson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, two of the biggest names in track and field, were thrown off their game thanks to a baffling mix-up before their warm-ups. To top it off, the legendary “Mommy Rocket” Shelly-Ann, widely considered one of the greatest sprinters of all time, was forced to withdraw from what was supposed to be her final Olympic appearance.

A YouTube video by Running Factory captured the moment when both Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Sha’Carri Richardson found themselves stuck outside the warm-up area, right before their 100-meter semi-final races. The reason? A new rule requiring athletes to arrive on the team bus to access the area. This rule seemed to have sprung out of nowhere and wasn’t exactly communicated well to the athletes and Shelly-Ann, who was not staying at the Paris Olympic Village, could not have entered with the team bus.

Fraser-Pryce, a seasoned pro who usually knows the drill, was understandably frustrated. Just the day before, she had no issues getting in. This time, she was blocked by security and had to walk away in anger, heading towards the venue. Richardson, caught in the same bind, followed suit. The whole ordeal was filmed by a fellow athlete from the bus, adding to the drama.

Fraser-Pryce’s day went from bad to worse when she had to withdraw from her semi-final due to a hamstring injury sustained during the warm-up. Meanwhile, Richardson, visibly shaken by the chaos, finished in second place in her semi-final with a time of 10.89 seconds. Julien Alfred took the top spot in Semi-Final 2, adding another layer to the day’s upheaval. In the Paris Olympics women’s 100-meter finals, the drama continued to unfold. The race concluded with Julien Alfred from Saint Lucia taking gold with a time of 10.72, followed by Sha’Carri Richardson from the USA claiming silver at 10.87, and Melissa Jefferson also from the United States earning bronze with 10.92.

The unexpected drama and mismanagement left fans and athletes alike reeling, turning what should have been a showcase of sprinting prowess into a cautionary tale of organizational oversight. This led to a storm on social media, and now, with all the heat it’s been facing, the Paris Olympics has backlash from track and field fans flooding in.

Track and field fans were fuming about Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s final run at the Paris Olympics, which was marred by chaos!

Under the YouTube video by Running Factory, fans stormed the comment section with their frustrations. One fan wrote, “This the worse Olympics they’ve had. All kind of BS is going on every day.” Since its commencement, the Paris Olympics has faced backlash. The uproar started with a parody of Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” featuring drag queens in the opening ceremony, then escalated with a train sabotage and South Korea being mistakenly introduced as North Korea.

Reports of several athletes voicing concerns over a food shortage at the Olympic Village in Paris added to the chaos. Another fan shared, “Many countries are complaining about Paris suck.” Adding to this dilemma, one more said, “Boo France.” Track fans were heartbroken, especially one who shared, “They just robbed the world of a great moment to watch the greatest woman signing out from an incredible career.” The Paris Olympics were set to be Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s last run before the eight-time Olympic medalist retired.

Another fan shared, “First of all, how do you stop a competing athlete from entering the stadium? That is so dumb. I can understand stopping the spectators, but the athletes who were supposed to be competing is just ridiculous,” noting the same dilemma the athletes had faced. Shelly-Ann even shared that she was allowed to enter the day prior, which made no sense as she was not staying at the Paris Olympic village.

Another fan added, “If you are going to change the rules, the athletes should have been informed prior to the meet.” As we reflect on this fan sentiment, what are your thoughts on this moment and the fact that Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce did not compete in the semi-finals? Share your thoughts in the comments below!