Noah Lyles. James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

Noah Lyles responds to Anthony Edwards shoe-event controversy

By Jaren Kawada | Last updated Aug 12, 2024 12:43 PM ET

Noah Lyles' 2024 Olympic tenure ended prematurely due to a COVID-19 diagnosis, but the track star found himself back in the center of the spotlight during the final few days of the competition.

As the closing ceremony approached, rumors surfaced claiming there was tension between Lyles and fellow Team USA athlete Anthony Edwards.

The rumors claimed that Lyles, 27, took issue with Adidas inviting him to Edwards' event celebrating the release of his new shoe brand with it. Lyles allegedly got upset at the company for seemingly prioritizing the NBA star over himself.

Lyles has since come out to deny the claims with an Aug. 12 tweet, saying that he only did not attend the event due to "prior engagements." The sprinter congratulated Edwards on becoming a gold medalist as a member of the United States men's basketball team, calling the 23-year-old an "amazing player."

There is a rumor going around that I did not go to @theantedwards_ shoe release because he didn’t deserve it. That is not the case he definitely deserves his shoes he is an amazing player. The problem was finding time based on my prior engagements.
Congratulations on Becoming an…
— Noah Lyles, OLY (@LylesNoah) August 12, 2024

The incident was originally reported by TIME magazine's Sean Gregory in an article based on an interview he conducted with Lyles. Gregory wrote that Lyles was offended by being invited to the event for, as he put it, someone who "has not even been to an NBA Finals."

After winning the gold medal in the 100-meter dash during the recent Paris Olympics, Lyles entered the 200-meter event as a heavy favorite but finished in the bronze-medal position before immediately falling to the ground.

Lyles subsequently withdrew himself from further competition. In his absence, the men's 4x100 relay team did not medal as Canada, the team he previously dismissed, won gold.

Jaren Kawada

Jaren Kawada is a sports writer based in Indianapolis, Indiana, and originally from Honolulu, Hawaii. Kawada has over five years of experience with his work also seen on Fantasy CPR, BetSided and Sportskeeda. Kawada is an alumnus of Butler University and in his free time enjoys training in kickboxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

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