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The head of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said she was “100% comfortable” with Noah Lyles' decision to compete in the 200 meters after testing positive for COVID-19 two days before the event.
Lyles didn't publicly reveal he'd tested positive for the virus until after he won bronze Thursday night at the Paris Olympics. It was the first loss in three years for the American favorite in that event, who was trying to become the first sprinter since Usain Bolt to sweep the 100 and 200 meters.
Sarah Hirshland, the CEO of USOPC, told The Associated Press on Friday that protocols were put in place for Lyles after he tested positive and he was closely monitored by USA Track. She said whether or not Lyles raced was left for him to decide.
“I feel 100% comfortable, largely because I understand the caliber and quality of medical personnel that were paying attention to what was going on,” Hirshland told AP.
She said the medical staff followed guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and relied on previous experience in treating athletes with the virus.
“We gave Noah as much flexibility in his own choices as we could,” she said. “He had every opportunity to say, ‘I don’t want to compete. I don't feel good enough to compete, or, I don't want to compete.'”
Once he decided to move ahead with competing, USOPC and USATF set procedures to ensure the safety of both Lyles and those around him.
Lyles said after the race that he had quarantined, drank fluids and rested as much as possible in preparation for the event. USATF said in a statement that Lyles was given “a thorough medical evaluation” and chose to compete.
And although he finished a respectable third racing while ill, the three-time world champion collapsed, rolled onto his side and gasped for breath. He turned over on his hands and knees, then went to one knee, and balanced himself with his fist.
He finally stood up and wobbled toward the medics, signaling for a cup of water. Then, he left in a wheelchair. He wore a mask in the tunnel before the race, and again when he spoke to reporters.
“I think it's extraordinary that he won a bronze medal when he's not 100%. He's an incredible athlete and he wanted to show the world that,” Hirshland said. “And he was willing to say, ‘I understand that I’m going to have to do things a little bit differently than I might have' out of respect both for his own health, but also for other people. I have no concerns about what happened there. We did that the right way."
Why was Lyles allowed to race?
The last time Lyles lost the 200 meters was at the Tokyo Olympics, when he took bronze and said he'd been struggling with his mental health during the pandemic.
Those Games were held under strict COVID-19 protocols that included mandatory mask-wearing, daily temperature checks and a contained bubble for 10 days upon arrival in Tokyo. Spectators were not permitted.
Three years later, there are no such protocols in Paris. Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, said Friday there are only “general policies.”
“COVID, not only here in France, is being treated like any other respiratory disease. It is being treated like a flu now, so there is no obligation for any special measures or notifications,” Bach said. “The (national teams) and the athletes have already taken the measures they deemed appropriate.”
According to Lyles, he woke up in the middle of the night Tuesday with “chills, aching and a sore throat.” He was placed into a quarantine in a hotel near the Olympic village, and said he only told the medical staff, his coach and his mother he was ill.
Lyles said he kept it private because he didn't want the other competitors to find out and have an “edge” over him.
Hirshland conceded Lyles would not have been allowed to race if he'd tested positive for COVID-19 in Tokyo.
“COVID was a very different thing in Tokyo than it is today,” she said, “the way it's affecting people, the risks associated with it, the symptoms and actually how it's making people feel. That's the thing we have to understand. It's a very different condition than it was at that point in time.”
What protocols was Lyles given?
Aside from isolation and his own treatment, Lyles didn't have to follow too many guidelines.
Hirshland said getting Lyles into quarantine was the biggest thing, but that adjustments also had to be made to his nutrition.
There was also consultation about his treatment.
“Are you going to take medications? Are those medications prohibited?” Hirshland said. “There's a lot of complexity that goes into those decisions, and you want to make sure that everybody understands what the options are and how to think about how it might affect your body and your performance and how you feel.”
Although Lyles said he avoided people, he was seen embracing gold medal Letsile Tebogo after the race.
Tebogo, who said he saw Lyles warming up while wearing a face mask and suspected something was off when he beat him in the semifinals, said he did not know Lyles had COVID. He also said he wasn't bothered by Lyles competing because the race is “not a contact sport."
Lyles posted late Thursday night he did not expect to compete again at these Games.
