Queen Ifrica has joined the throngs of Jamaicans rebuking World 100m and 200m champion Noah Lyles, and accusing him of taking advantage of his relationship with Jamaican athlete Junelle Bromfield to solicit inside information about the Jamaican Olympic team.
The Yad to the East artist expressed her disapproval of Lyles in a recent Instagram post, even as she called for support for Jamaican athletes ahead of the Paris Olympics.
“I just want to give encouragement to wi athletes that are going to Paris that nuh matter what version we are, we are the strongest… We are the strongest role models of the world. So don’t let that little demon bwoy from America weh name Noah weh tek a likkle girl from Jamaica again and use har fi learn about us ,” Ifrica stated.
“Cause di only way dat they can go against us, is to use us against us. Dats the only way. So I want to say to mi Jamaicans dem who truly patriotic who is going ova to Paris to dis Olympics, mek sure seh yuh know seh dis is di Olympics of all Olympics… becaw dey want to put us on our knees. They want us to bow down so they can say they took us down. So they can say they are the ones that took us down; they took us from God. But Mek wi show dem seh wi likkle but wi tallawah fi true,” she added.
The issue with Lyles began after he, during an interview on Colin Waitzman’s Track World News which was uploaded on Monday, July 15, in speaking about his relationship with Bromfield, had said he was given the scoop on the Jamaican track camps’ activities over the last five years, seemingly through his relationship with the 400 meter athlete.
“Junelle, being Jamaican and having trained in MVP, I have been getting the drama from the Jamaican camp for at least five years now. There is a lot of times I make references about Jamaicans but I am not trying to go back and forth, like I know information that other people don’t,” Lyles had said.
Tensions have been escalating since the video of the American’s comments. There has been backlash from Jamaican track and field fans, who accused Bromfield of betraying her nation, by disclosing internal matters from the MVP Track Club, where she had previously trained under coach Stephen Francis.
Many argued that Bromfield should have kept the internal dynamics of the team confidential despite her romantic relationship with Lyles.
Lyles, who had previously gained favour among Jamaican fans for seemingly embracing Jamaican culture during a vacation with Bromfield, is now being eyed with suspicion, particularly as the US is considered Jamaica’s biggest arch rival on the track.
Jamaicans are also angry at him for claiming to be the Fastest Man Alive, a title which is held officially by sprint legend, Usain Bolt.