“They couldn't even keep their own meets running” - Carl Lewis calls out national track and field federation for ‘terrible’ USATF Tour launch

Nine-time Olympic medalist Carl Lewis recently called USA Track and Field for the launch of the USATF Tour. The sporting legend slammed this new idea and ‘terrible’ while drawing attention to the federation’s failure to ‘keep their own meets running’.

On Monday, October 20, the USATF announced the launch of the USATF Tour, an initiative that is aimed towards ‘professional track and field competition through the standardization of best practices, coordination schedules and with financial, marketing and logistical support from the federation’. Under the USATF Tour, official World Athletics meets as well as domestic competitions will collaborate in order to avoid clashes in scheduling, viewership, athlete participation, and more.

More recently, in the comments section of a post on Citius Magazine’s Instagram account, Carl Lewis lashed out at the USATF for this new initiative, writing,

“Sorry, but USATF hasn't proven that they can run a league. This is a terrible idea that will hurt all of the members. Why are they not lifting up the events we have now? They couldn't even keep their own meets running, and now they want to run everyone else's?”

Via @citiusmag on Instagram

For their part, the USATF maintains that the new league will offer better opportunities for athletes. In an official press release, Max Siegel, CEO of USATF, stated,

“The USATF Tour represents a collective investment in the future of our sport. It addresses some of the key challenges facing track and field in the United States including fragmented scheduling, overlapping events, and dispersed media coverage. Together with dedicated meet organizers from across the country, we can deliver stronger competition, a better fan experience, and greater value for athletes, partners, and communities.”

Over the years, several top American athletes have complained about the dwindling popularity of track and field in the USA, and it remains to be seen if the USATF Tour can fix the viewership issues that currently plague the sport.

Carl Lewis shares a glimpse of his trip to India

Carl Lewis at the Paris Olympics (Image Source: Getty)

Carl Lewis recently paid a trip to India in his role as the International Event Ambassador for the 2025 Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, a run that takes place in the nation's capital each year.

In his time there, the former athlete enjoyed plenty of activities, including a walk down the runway. Taking to Instagram, the American shared a glimpse of his trip to India with fans, writing,

“Walking the line in Delhi, India.

Carl Lewis is undoubtedly one of the greatest athletes in track and field history. The 64-year-old’s career saw him win three sprinting Olympic gold medals as well as four long jump Olympic golds. He is also a eight-time World Champion.

Edited by Riddhi Acharya