“That’s pretty surprising to me. I don’t know what happened,” Jamaican teammate Tia Clayton responded when asked Fraser-Pryce’s absence.
two hours before the event, footage circulated social media of security officials denying Fraser-Pryce and compatriot American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson entry to the warm-up track.
According to reports, both athletes were informed they needed to find another way into the venue after arriving in private vehicles rather than the team shuttle.
“She said they changed the rule yesterday,” Fraser-Pryce said in the video where she’s seen arguing with security staff.
“How you going to change the rule and then not say? So you’re asking all the athletes who, for whatever reason, don’t stay in the Village, they can’t come through the gate? We came through this gate yesterday and went through security and it was OK. They want us to go all the way up to where everybody is exiting … that’s crazy!”
Channel 9 commentator Gerard Whateley said: “There has been a rule change in the warm-up area and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has fallen on the wrong side of it. She has been denied entry.
“So, rather than withdrawing, she has (been) withdrawn, and it seems as though there is video evidence of her pleading her case to get in.
“This is a disaster for Paris if that turns out to be the case.
“If there is something that’s changed between yesterday and today ahead of the semi-finals and the greatest ever female sprinter has been denied access to the stadium to compete in a semi-final — that’s right up there with the Seine being unfit to swim in.
“It’s sketchy for the moment.”
“Fraser-Pryce was allowed to enter the warm-up track, but from another gate from which she was directed to enter from,” Kelly told .
