USA sprinter Noah Lyles will NOT race in 4x400m at World Relays as he claims people ‘were threatened with fires’ amid backlash to his selection

Noah Lyles will not compete in the 4x400metres event at this weekend’s World Relays after revealing people were ‘threatened with fires’ when he raced it at the World Indoors.

The American sprint star has set his sights on winning four gold medals at the Paris Olympics by adding the 4x400m relay to his programme, alongside the three events he won at last year’s World Championships – the 100m, 200m and 4x100m.

Lyles was given a first chance of the 4x400m at the World Indoors in Glasgow in March, when he ran the third leg as the USA claimed silver behind Belgium.

But the 26-year-old’s selection was widely criticised, with his own team-mate Fred Kerley, the 2022 world 100m champion, accusing the USA Track and Field of favouritism and acting like ‘puppets’.

Despite such an uproar, Lyles insists he will still make himself eligible for selection in the 4x400m in Paris.

However, he has opted out of it at the World Relays here in Nassau, where teams are vying to qualify their spots at the Olympics.

‘Unfortunately, no, I will not be running it,’ said Lyles. ‘It caused a lot of controversy watching someone run the 60m and then go into the 4x400m.

‘Some people got written up, other people were threatened with fires. A lot of people in the US were very, very, very upset that I ran the 4×4.

‘I can’t give all the details but there were coaches who coached athletes that were on the 4×4 that didn’t get to run that were upset about that.

‘They complained to higher-ups about the decision. The higher-ups decided to take action.

‘Whether this will happen again, I don’t know. Are they going to make new rule changes? I don’t know.

‘But the way that the rules are set up now is anybody who is actually on the team can be in the relay.

‘I am going to keep doing what I do. It is the relay coach’s decision. I am going to tell them the same thing – “If you want to use me, I am here, if you don’t, that’s fine”. I am not going to have hurt feelings about it.

‘I will be training specifically for the 100 and 200 and be as strong as possible in the 400. I am in the best in shape I have ever been in my life.’

The World Relays start on Saturday night, with Great Britain among the nations looking to secure their place at the Olympics in the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays, as well as the mixed 4x400m.

In total, 14 of the 16 Olympic spots in each event will be decided here and teams will guarantee their place in Paris by finishing in the top two of their heat on Saturday.

Marcell Jacobs, the Italian former long jumper who stunned the world to win 100m gold at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, is among the big names in action this weekend.

Asked about the pressure of trying to defend his title in Paris, the 29-year-old said: ‘I don’t think it’s a pressure. It’s a lot of motivation to arrive there and win again.

‘I know it is not easy. But I will do all my best to arrive there and win the gold medal again.’