US sprint star Sha’Carri Richardson withdrew from the US Track and Field Championships in Oregon on Friday as it emerged she had been arrested and held at an airport detention center days earlier.
Reigning world 100m champion Richardson, one of US sprinting’s biggest stars, was held by police at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Sunday.
Local correctional facility records showed she was released on Monday but did not specify any charges or the reason for the 25-year-old’s arrest.
Port of Seattle Police did not immediately respond to a request for further information. Richardson’s management team also did not reply to a request for comment.
The Athletic reported that Richardson following an incident with her boyfriend, sprinter Christian Coleman, per a police report.
Coleman booked his place in the final of the 100m hours after it emerged thatRichardson had allegedly attacked him in what police described as a domestic violence incident.
Coleman, the 2019 100m world champion, advanced to Friday’s final after finishing second in his heat behind Kenny Bednarek.
A police report said video footage showed Richardson repeatedly shoving Coleman before throwing a set of headphones at the sprinter, who declined to co-operate with a police investigation.
Coleman did not speak to journalists after his semi-final on Friday
The case has since been cleared.
News of Richardson’s arrest came as USA Track and Field confirmed she would play no further part in this week’s championships in Eugene after racing in the opening heats of the women’s 100m on Thursday.
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Sha’Carri Richardson. Photo by Christian Petersen / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFPSource: AFP
Richardson – who famously was barred from competing at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after testing positive for marijuana use after her victory at the US trials – gave no clue of fresh controversy in her private life after her heat on Thursday.
The Texan star laughed and joked with journalists as she discussed her form and fitness heading into September’s World Championships in Tokyo.
She did not mention her arrest earlier in the week and was not asked about it. As a defending world champion, Richardson already has a bye into the World Championships in Japan, and was under no obligation to race in Eugene this week.
She clocked her fastest 100m of the season in Thursday’s heat, with a time of 11.07sec.
She had been due to run in this weekend’s 200m but a USATF spokesman said she had scratched from both the 100m and 200m. Richardson’s name remained on the 200m start list late Friday.
A smiling Richardson said on Thursday she had been happy to compete in Eugene knowing that her place on the team for Tokyo was already assured.
“USA is one of the hardest teams to make, so it definitely is a kind of a release of pressure knowing I have a bye,” she told AFP.
“It feels really good to not have that pressure and still be able to go to Tokyo.
“Right now I’m cruising under the radar, but when it’s time to hit — it’s gonna be a bang where y’all see my name.”
Richardson’s exit came as men’s 100m world champion Noah Lyles withdrew from the remaining rounds of the short sprint. Lyles, who is also already qualified for Tokyo, will race in the 200m on Sunday.
Olympic women’s 200m champion Gabby Thomas has also withdrawn from the rest of the 100m, and will focus on the 200m.