Do people not like SML? What is it exactly she did/does?

I think I would be a big fan of her's if she actually raced.

Admittedly the Diamond League timing is not great this Olympic Cycle, but people complain about the lack of professional money and opportunities in Athletics. But, the DL is a fairly well supported and attended circuit of just that.

I am not sure how the finances of the League work, but beyond that why does she not participate?

They don't like that she only races a little bit. She is more interested in being a Christian role model and they also don't like that.

It's similar to some of the stars of baseball's steroid era that can't get in the HOF despite never being directly connected to steroid use. Even though SML's never been officially found to dope, there's a common unspoken presumption that she's doing so well because she is doping. I don't personally know that she's doping, but a lot of others suspect or believe that she is.

It's all personal opinion but I believe there's never been a day in her life where she had the thought "you know what, I need to dope to be the best".

Any at least causal fan from the US will recall it was already assumed she would eventually be the best in the world at age 16. she was that talented.

Racism. You can't speak badly about Femke without your comment being deleted.

that Kersee sauce. Added to that, she barely races and has this holier than thou vibe.

I'm tellin' all o' y'all SML fans - this chick be trippin'. She know she done something B.A.D, that's why she tryin' bringing God into the picture. She livin' a fantasy ma fans, in which God forgive her fo' cheating, but that ain't gon' happen. What goes around come around.

I doubt it's racism for most people. Us old timers got tired of Lasse Viren pulling himself out of a hat exactly four years since the last sighting to be a top guy at the Olympics again. More recently people were told they were losers for noticing that Lance Armstrong showed up for the Tour de France then never did much of anything the rest of the time. We know Viren was doing frowned-upon (and now actually illegal) things and we know Armstrong was a blatant doper. There is absolutely something that feels off about SML and her coaching connections don't help. But unless/until proven as a doper, she also has the upper hand and can ignore the rest of us and continue to show up once a year and collect her gold. If anything, I suspect that her being black (but not too dark, now!) and female gives her a protected status in this day and age, when she does show up you get all kinds of social media stuff about #BlackGirlMagic and the like from people who like a lot of politics to go with their sports.

I'll also add that something stank about her 4x400 leg and felt unbelievable.

I upvoted you because you answered your own question: disinterested and arrogant.

She doesn't seem to like racing track meets. The fans are really, really into track and field and she isn't. We are not a great fit for each other (fans and disinterested pro).

But if she runs Brussels and then races all the Grand Slam meets next year, that could change. I want to like her. I'll give her another chance for sure!

"Bobby saw something in warmup. He is a man of mystery."

Well, people have spend a lot of time and money so that they can see you race for 50+ seconds. You need to give a better explanation for pulling out at the last minute.

And then you watch a DL race from the stand, only to race in a small race in Hungary a few days later...

People complain too much about her racing schedule. She doesn't race a ton, but if what she's doing enables her to set world records in every global final, there's no reason for her to change it.

I met Sydney once in 2019, and found her to be funny and down-to-earth. I wish she'd let those parts of her personality shine through more instead of just robotically praising Jesus, but it's her life.

She doesn't race.

1. She doesn't race.

2. She chooses the soft option of 400m hurdles instead of really proving herself as an athlete over 400m flat.

Everyone I know LOVES Sydney. The best there is.

Just destroys the competition. Amazing.

I would get second hand embarrassment listening to someone trying to explain why they dislike Syd in real life.

1)Affiliation with Kersee who is a suspected drug coach.

2) Sparce racing schedule which some suspect to be related to drug cycle/testing.

3) Bol, who is adored by most, is her chief "rival" and Bol does race frequently.

4) Non-Christians on the board don't like that she is constantly talking about God.

Personally I like Sydney, but from what I've read here those are the reasons for those who don't.

I find it funny when people accuse her of being sanctimonious because that's literally not her personality at all. She's very humble.

Besides the Kersee stuff (which I suspect is not the real reason because none of his other athletes get that much hate besides Flo-Jo), people feel entitled to her racing more and don't like how religious she is. That's pretty much it.

1. I'm not a big fan of her religious stuff but it's her personal life so it doesn't bother me.

2. She doesn't race a lot but she doesn't need prep races. She only runs one 400mh before USAs and she breaks the WR twice a year. That's absurd.

She's not relatable. Just once I'd like for her to look up at the stands, throw her arms up and get the crowd pumped up.