The World Athletics U20 Championships in Peru is becoming nothing short of a battleground for Team USA. But unfortunately, not on the tracks! The men’s 4x100m relay team failed to make it to the U20 final fumbling the first handoff. The team with Isaac Henderson, Jaden Poyser, Kemar Dawson, and Miles Roberts had to exit the competition that the world thought they would dominate.

For fans, this was painful to watch. And for the legends of the sport, like Carl Lewis, it was the last straw. Carl Lewis, the GOAT who has 11 gold medals in relay events throughout his career, including the Olympics, World Championships, Pan American Games, Goodwill Games, and Olympic Boycott Games, obviously had something to say. Lewis wrote on Twitter, “It is crazy that we continue to have these problems, and absolutely nothing is being done to right the ship. We have @LA2028 in less than 4 years, and we’re on the way to seeing @TeamUSA not medal again in the 4×100. How would that look @USATF (USA Track and Field)?”

Lewis did not stop there, he went on to point out discrepancies lately. “I’ve been watching the @WorldAthletics U20 Championships in Peru. We will not be in the men’s 4×100 final. I guess we’ve accepted the fact that @usatf teams cannot finish a relay race. It is so sad that these young junior athletes also have to suffer from their incompetence.” The frustration was palpable.

Lewis was the only one though! Fans weighed in. One X user went on to say, “This after the Mixed 4×400 wasn’t even able to race due to a ‘clerical error’ by USATF. The entire approach to relay preparation and administration needs to be overhauled.” Another fan echoing the disappointment responded, “Not just the relays, everything else they do. Everything.” And the outcry over the distasteful moments is only growing.

What’s Happening Behind the Curtains?

All this noise isn’t just about a botched baton exchange, but about the larger issue within the USA Track & Field (USATF). And the uphaul doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. The world has taken into notice that the root of the problem lies in administrative errors and lack of preparation strategies. The Mixed 4x400m relay fiasco is another feather added to their crown of “clerical error(s)”. This is no small error. Especially considering athletes are training their whole lives for moments like these. Only to have their dreams broken by paperwork issues.

Carl Lewis’s call to “blow up the system” isn’t just a rant, but a wake-up call for everyone. He went on to say, “This continues to be completely unacceptable. It is clear that EVERYONE at @usatf is more concerned with relationships than winning. No athlete should step on the track and run another relay until this program is changed from top to bottom.” The ones truly losing out here are the young athletes who are caught in the crossfire and left wondering why they are the ones to pay the price of poor management.

This continues to be completely unacceptable. As the World Athletics U20 Championships continue, the question on everyone’s lips is whether USATF will take these criticisms seriously. And last but not least, with LA 2028 not far away, will these changes finally happen for real?