The world 400m hurdles record-holder and a number of Olympic champion should still have the ability to compete in Brussels however solely in non-Diamond League occasions
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who had deliberate to finish her unbelievable 2024 season by doing the 200m and 400m on the Diamond League last in Brussels, is “ineligible” to race in each occasions, in keeping with Diamond League CEO Petr Stastny.
The 25-year-old claimed her second Olympic 400m hurdles gold medal in Paris – breaking her personal world file with 50.37 – and was additionally a part of the US girls’s 4x400m staff that stood on the highest of the rostrum.
Nevertheless, hopes of ending off her marketing campaign within the Belgian capital this season could also be dashed after Stastny’s feedback.
In an e mail despatched to LetsRun, he said that “it’s not about permitting a selected athlete to compete or not” however “about guidelines and standards which should be fulfilled by all to changing into eligible to compete on the WDL Ultimate”.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s eligibility revolves round “international wild playing cards”.
Most athletes qualify for the Diamond League last by accumulating factors however they’ll additionally e-book their spot by way of these wild playing cards.
4 international wild playing cards may be given out to athletes and so they had been created to guarantee that a few of the finest athletes on the earth compete within the Diamond League last.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Getty)
One athlete who benefited final yr was Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who competed within the 3000m in Eugene.
Nonetheless, there are stipulations that should be met for an athlete to qualify for that wild card.
Based on the foundations laid down by World Athletics for the Diamond League, an athlete will need to have both competed or achieved a lead to no less than one Diamond League assembly throughout that season.
McLaughlin-Levrone hasn’t raced at a Diamond League since final July, when she clocked 49.71 over 400m in Paris.
Stastny added: “Ms McLaughlin-Levrone doesn’t fulfil these standards, both by accumulating sufficient factors or receiving a wild card.
“The ultimate leg of the Diamond League isn’t an invitational assembly and any athlete proposed for a worldwide wild card will need to have competed no less than in considered one of our occasions throughout this season.”
McLaughlin-Levrone might nonetheless finish her season in Brussels however it could imply working in a non-Diamond League occasion, which often have weaker fields.
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