It could have been the perfect start for the first-ever women-only track contest, a flawless representation of the slogan, “She runs NYC,” in the world of track and field. But Alexis Ohanian’s Athlos NYC 2024 couldn’t escape some controversy. Despite a packed house at Icahn Stadium, and an event that delivered on all its promises–with legends like Gail Devers, stars like Gabby Thomas and even celebrity appearances from the likes of Nathalie Emmanuel–  there was no avoiding the drama. Devers praised Ohanian’s effort for bringing such an exceptional event to life, yet the debate quickly followed!

The controversy erupted during the opening event of the evening, the 100m hurdles. Allegations of turning a blind eye to the race’s rules came from none other than the Olympic champion herself. And as the tracks nd field community rallies in support, the conversation is only heating up!

Masai Russell alleges theft of her prize in Athlos NYC

The opening event of Athlos NYC had been touted to be a high-stakes re-match as Jasmine Camacho Quinn and Masai Russell lined up for the first showdown since the Paris Olympics. In the French capital, the American sprinter defeated the Puerto Rican legend in the same event, so when they met again on September 26, it was clear Quinn had something to prove. And she did!

Finishing 0.08 seconds ahead of Russell in 12.36 seconds (+0.6). But the victory didn’t come without controversy. Moments after Quinn’s win, commentators hinted at a possible false start. Later, Russell, too, made the same argument. Speaking to Citius Mag, the 24-year-old expressed her frustration, “I want to protest because as anyone can see, there was a lot of flinching going on at the starting line, so that kind of affected me. I was playing catchup the whole entire race.” And she didn’t stop there.

https://twitter.com/CitiusMag/status/1839489832101511284

Additionally, without pausing, she also called for a review of the race and insisted that the athlete who ran legally should be the one to receive the prize money. Despite finishing third and learning $10,000 Russel believed that Camacho Quinn’s alleged false start invalidated her $60,000 win, not to mention her custom-made platinum crown worth an additional $25,000. As of now, neither Quinn nor Athlos NYC have responded to the accusations. For Quinn, this marks her 6th victory since her Olympic loss to Russel, but the controversy surrounding this race has left the track world divided.

Track and field community chases the officials who ‘blew’ it

Following her third-place finish, Russel took to her X account, calling her race a “catch-up game,” a sentiment many fans seem to agree with. From the moment the gun went off, Russell was visibly tailing behind Quinn and Alaysha Johnson, struggling to close the gap. Though she made a late push in the final 10m, it wasn’t enough. But now, as she claimed that her race was compromised by a false start—the track and field community is backing her up!

One fan at the Icahn Stadium shared their perspective, “Literally was there in person. Clear false start. Everyone in the crowd saw it.” Quinn appeared frantic as the race began, a possible sign of the alleged jump. Another supporter, too, echoed the sentiment stating, “Definitely a bad start that should have been aborted, officials blew it.” The mounting frustrations from the fans sparked a debate over whether the officials failed in their duties.

False starts are comments, and the action is taken pretty swiftly. For example, Fred Kerley was DQed for a false start at the NYC Grand Prix in June 2024. There have been multiple cases, so on and so forth, but not once was the decision delayed to the point the sprinters were at the finish line! But at the Athlos NYC, the starting line drama seemed to slip under the radar of the event officials. Even after the commentators pointed at the false start, no action was taken. One fan summed up the frustration, posting, “It was clearly a missed call by officials. Too busy watching the meters vs the starting line! We all saw it on video.” 

In the heat of the controversy, one particularly passionate fan of Masai Russell threw more fuel on the fire, commenting, “didn’t see the race live but I read a comment where someone said there was indeed a false start so those of you hating on Masai need to S**Uand sit yo a***sdown.” Clearly, emotions were running high as many believed Russell was robbed of her chance to make history.

Had everything gone smoothly, Russell might have claimed victory in the first race of the groundbreaking women-only track event. But instead, the alleged false start and ensuing debate overshadowed what could have been a celebratory moment. One fan’s disappointment summed it up best, “Great season! Wish we had had a cleaner start.” What’s your take on the whole situation? Let us know your thoughts below!