Sha’Carri Richardson: scandals, victories, and difficulties of the athlete
2 august 2025 в 20:37
Sha’Carri Richardson became the main news in August 2025 when she was arrested on charges of attacking her boyfriend, Christian Coleman, several sources reported. The Olympic sprinter was detained by police at Seattle-Tacoma Airport in Washington state after a TSA employee reported a woman assaulting a man, TMZ reports. Sha’Carri was released from custody shortly after.
This was not the first time Sha’Carri had been in the spotlight. Four years ago, she missed the entire 2020 Summer Olympics after failing a doping test that tested positive for THC metabolites (for recent cannabis use). As a result, she served a one-month suspension and could have participated in the women’s 4×100-meter relay in August 2021, but she was not selected.
«While USATF fully agrees that the merits of the World Anti-Doping Agency rules regarding THC should be reevaluated, it would be detrimental to the integrity of the US Olympic track and field team if USATF changed its policies after the competition, just weeks before the Olympic Games», - the statement obtained by USA Today said. «All USATF athletes are equally informed and must adhere to the current anti-doping code, and our credibility as the National Governing Body will be lost if rules are only applied in certain circumstances».
After the news became known, Sha’Carri said she was not really upset about it. «Honestly, this news didn’t upset me because me and my team were realistic, so we kind of expected them to say this first», - she told TMZ at the time. «I understand the situation that’s going on. So I accept it, and I just know what I need to do moving forward in my career».
Want to learn more about Sha’Carri? Here are five things you should know about her.
— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) August 1, 2025
Sha’Carri has been competing for six years. Her first major title came in 2016 when she won the 100-meter race at the AAU Junior Olympics, according to the Louisiana State University athletics department. In 2019, she won the same event at the NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The Olympic trials were her last victory.
Sha’Carri also ran for Louisiana State University. As a freshman in 2019, she set a record in the 100-meter race at the NCAA Championships, running it in 10.75 seconds, according to World Athletics. In April 2021, she improved her time, running the 100 meters in 10.72 seconds, making her the sixth fastest woman in the world, according to World Athletics.
Sha’Carri caught attention at the Olympic trials. The athlete dyed her hair bright orange, and it flew behind her, giving the impression that she was literally burning up the track. Sha’Carri’s girlfriend chose the color because it was «bright and bold» and «spoke to her», - making it the perfect choice for the event. «This is who I am. She just wanted me to make a statement — let’s continue to show the world that I am a force to be reckoned with», - Sha’Carri told The Washington Post in June 2021.
Unfortunately, Sha’Carri’s disqualification seems to have erased her victory at the Olympic trials and deprived her of the chance to compete in the 100-meter race in Tokyo, The New York Times reports. But despite the disqualification for marijuana use, the American track and field association could have allowed her to participate in the 4×100-meter relay. In 2017, Sha’Carri did participate in the 4×100-meter relay with the American team at the U20 Pan American Athletics Championships, where she and her team took first place, according to World Athletics.
Sha’Carri’s biological mother passed away a few days before the Olympic trials in Oregon (where marijuana is legal), and the runner learned of the death from a journalist who asked her about it. She told TODAY that upon learning of her mother’s death from the journalist, she went into a «state of emotional panic», - as can be seen from her interview
This was not the first time Sha’Carri had been in the spotlight. Four years ago, she missed the entire 2020 Summer Olympics after failing a doping test that tested positive for THC metabolites (for recent cannabis use). As a result, she served a one-month suspension and could have participated in the women’s 4×100-meter relay in August 2021, but she was not selected.
«While USATF fully agrees that the merits of the World Anti-Doping Agency rules regarding THC should be reevaluated, it would be detrimental to the integrity of the US Olympic track and field team if USATF changed its policies after the competition, just weeks before the Olympic Games», - the statement obtained by USA Today said. «All USATF athletes are equally informed and must adhere to the current anti-doping code, and our credibility as the National Governing Body will be lost if rules are only applied in certain circumstances».
After the news became known, Sha’Carri said she was not really upset about it. «Honestly, this news didn’t upset me because me and my team were realistic, so we kind of expected them to say this first», - she told TMZ at the time. «I understand the situation that’s going on. So I accept it, and I just know what I need to do moving forward in my career».
Want to learn more about Sha’Carri? Here are five things you should know about her.
— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) August 1, 2025
Sha’Carri has been competing for six years. Her first major title came in 2016 when she won the 100-meter race at the AAU Junior Olympics, according to the Louisiana State University athletics department. In 2019, she won the same event at the NCAA Division I Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The Olympic trials were her last victory.
Sha’Carri also ran for Louisiana State University. As a freshman in 2019, she set a record in the 100-meter race at the NCAA Championships, running it in 10.75 seconds, according to World Athletics. In April 2021, she improved her time, running the 100 meters in 10.72 seconds, making her the sixth fastest woman in the world, according to World Athletics.
Sha’Carri caught attention at the Olympic trials. The athlete dyed her hair bright orange, and it flew behind her, giving the impression that she was literally burning up the track. Sha’Carri’s girlfriend chose the color because it was «bright and bold» and «spoke to her», - making it the perfect choice for the event. «This is who I am. She just wanted me to make a statement — let’s continue to show the world that I am a force to be reckoned with», - Sha’Carri told The Washington Post in June 2021.
Unfortunately, Sha’Carri’s disqualification seems to have erased her victory at the Olympic trials and deprived her of the chance to compete in the 100-meter race in Tokyo, The New York Times reports. But despite the disqualification for marijuana use, the American track and field association could have allowed her to participate in the 4×100-meter relay. In 2017, Sha’Carri did participate in the 4×100-meter relay with the American team at the U20 Pan American Athletics Championships, where she and her team took first place, according to World Athletics.
Sha’Carri’s biological mother passed away a few days before the Olympic trials in Oregon (where marijuana is legal), and the runner learned of the death from a journalist who asked her about it. She told TODAY that upon learning of her mother’s death from the journalist, she went into a «state of emotional panic», - as can be seen from her interview
© Kolganov Andrey
