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Olympic track and field legend Carl Lewis tells CNBC he stands “100 percent” by his side critical of the US team’s men’s 4x100m relay team after placing sixth in their semi-final on Thursday and failing to advance to the final.
He stressed, however, that his anger was not directed at the athletes, but at the US relay program that brought the teams together.
“The federation puts in place the teams, the coaches and the system, and they let the athletes down,” said Lewis, who has won the Olympic gold in the 4×100 twice and seven other gold medals.
“That’s why I was so emotional and so angry, because these athletes work their whole lives, they run fast and do whatever it takes to be a part of the team, and then you put them in an impossible position to be successful.”
Americans Trayvon Bromell, Fred Kerley, Ronnie Baker and Cravon Gillespie were eliminated from the event as China, Canada, Italy, Germany and Ghana all qualified. Lewis told “The News with Shepard Smith” that he spoke to one of the US team athletes who also expressed frustration with the current system.
“They get frustrated because it’s like the same system, wrong and wrong, and make the same mistakes, and it’s like, why don’t we change the system, and put the other system working and ask people to help us put it in place, so that we have a chance to do it, ”Lewis said.
The United States has not won the men’s 4x100m relay since 2000 in Sydney.
Lewis told host Shepard Smith the problem comes down to the lives of the athletes and he will always stand up for them.
“My passion is to try to support the lives of athletes and these athletes work their whole lives to be Olympic champions, and you know what, America is the best team in the world in the relay, without a doubt, but we don’t even get to the start line, ”Lewis said.
USA Track and Field, the national governing body, did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
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