Noah Lyles Accused of Faking COVID at Paris Olympics by Former NBA Star
Noah Lyles won the Olympic gold in the 100m race but is in the limelight for all sorts of negativity around him, and the latest one is around fake COVID.
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In the men's 200-meter final, Noah Lyles earned a bronze medal to cap off his Paris Olympics 2024. Excited to compete, he strode onto the Stade de France track. Lyles appeared more worn out than normal after placing third at the finish line. He had trouble breathing and required assistance to get out of the stadium.
It was revealed after the event that Lyles ran with COVID-19, which clarified his issues. Gilbert Arenas, a former NBA player and Washington Wizard, however, doesn't buy it. Recently, Arenas attacked Lyles on No Chill for allegedly "faking" the illness. He did so in a theatrical manner, openly criticizing the USA runner and making fun of his entire performance.
Upon Lyles' pre-race introduction, Arenas teased him early in the show, joking, "I don't know what kind of COVID he got, but he got that energy." After the race, he mimicked Lyles and mocked his wheelchair exit.
"[Lyles] was so strong on COVID that he tore out of his jersey," Arenas shouted. "He didn't tear his jersey during the race... What kind of COVID boost was that? Come on, Noah, man, take your bronze and keep it moving. We didn't need to see that."
A video of Lyles having fun at a club a few days after Arenas showed the race."You all crazy, man," Arenas said. "Over here talking about 'he had COVID.' No the f*** he didn't... You can't be Superman before, and then all of a sudden, your a** is the sickest man walking this planet."
The main plot point of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris was Lyles's feud with the NBA stars. During a press conference in 2023, Lyles remarked, "The thing that bothers me most is watching the NBA Finals and seeing 'world champion' on their heads. World champion of what? The United States? Don't get me wrong, I love the U.S. at times, but that ain't the world... We are the world."
He pointed out that while international track and field competitions include athletes from numerous countries, the NBA primarily features teams from the U.S. and Canada. Lyles gave that press conference on the back of his gold medal wins in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay at the World Athletics Championships.
These remarks drew backlash from multiple NBA stars, including Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, and have followed Lyles ever since. Lyles won the 100m gold medal in Paris but couldn’t replicate it in other events.
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