Not one for conspiracies, but with so many American superstars dropping out of Worlds like flies, I think something's afoot ...

9: Maybe something having to do with Budapest or Hungary?

“So many” = … 2?

Norman pulling out shouldn’t be a surprise. He raced sparingly in the 100/200, largely struggled, and didn’t make the team in either of those events. Pivoting to 400m mid season and competing at a high level was going to be a stretch given the season he had.

April 15: 100m in 10.02 with a +3.0 wind

May 5: 200m in 20.65

July 6th: 8th in his 100 heat at USAs in. 10.31

So besides Norman…1 high profile scratch. Not sure I’m buying “so many”

Okay, right. But why did he struggle? Why are three superstar world champions pulling out at the same time? It it new doping tests? Mental softness? This isn't the first time a superstar athlete has struggled. They usually don't give up. This is not normal.

3 champions pulling out of Worlds is a lot...Mu had been iffy for a while, but no real reason given. SM and Norman pulling out right before is terrible. SM's 'minor' injury...and Norman has struggled....yes, that is what happens with Athletes...they struggle, they work through, they deal with issues, they fail at times!! Thats what normally makes them great.

I agree with your comments and would have to say that Mental 'Softness' and lack of performance incentives are likely the reasons.

Anyway, again, as a fan of the sport, this is so disappointing to see!!

It's been posted already on another thread there are new more sensitive tests coming on stream now

Runners in the U.S. have this notion that it's cool/beneficial to perpetually train and never compete.

It’s called overtraining!

Every day is TUEsday for some, even if it's Thursday ;) (bad pun).

In all seriousness, there are a lot of varying reasons. I'm going to just wait and see.

I told y'all the Brits are dirty. Training for Paris my big Texan behind! Lord Coerrupt told Keely and Laura that he can't cover up their doping anymore, and now they are making excuses for hiding away for the next 12 months doping in secret. We should never have bailed their limey behinds out in Vietnam. Ban them all now and give Stve Scott and Galen their golds.

Nobody has gotten that break. The world championships are always the year prior to the Olympics.

The missing global event is two years prior. By that standard, they should have skipped Eugene.

Mu: out!

McLaughlin: out!

Norman: out!

There is no more dodgy team than this.

Fair question on why. I would assume injury or training for the wrong event since he hasn’t raced well all year.

I’d also say before Eugene (where he didn’t have to race Gardner to win gold) the knock on Norman was he had never won the big one bc he never showed up at the biggest race of the year ready to perform. So pulling out is more of the same. IMO, Norman probably could have / should have pulled out after USAs.

so that leaves the Kersee group. To your point, who the hell knows what’s going on with them.

Luck does NOT belong on this list at all. Opting to maintain a little quality of life after making millions and having who knows how many concussions is SMART, not soft.

Carry on...

Every year, during the first week of February, ninety football players suit up for their "world championship". Very few are at their absolute peak ability of their career, but they play anyway. Lots of them have nagging season-long injuries, but they play anyway. And the same is true for Baseball, Hockey, Basketball, Soccer, and practically every other sport on the planet.

But not American Track and Field.

These are good theories. Perhaps add that most of these athletes in question can make a ton of money without running. Couple that with running being a sport that can grind your body down. If you don't have that internal need to win on the track and roads, why not choose money and health, rather than work your butt off for marginal gains and risk your health?

Mu is not out. Norman has shown nothing this season and obviously wouldn't have been competitive. McLaughlin has been an unwilling racer for years.

A football player at 90% of his capabilities is a valuable player for his team. A track athlete at 90% of his/her capabilities will lose badly.

I thought Fred Kerley was American!