Nike is maintaining its partnership with Olympic gold medalist Sha’Carri Richardson intact despite her recent arrest for domestic violence.
The abuse towards her sprinter boyfriend, Christian Coleman, took place at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in late July.
The 25-year-old American sprinter was charged with fourth-degree assault after an ugly airport incident with her fellow USA sprint partner in late July.
The incident was captured on cameras and shows Richardson violently and repeatedly confronting Coleman in a packed terminal.
In an outburst of rage, Richardson is seen yanking his backpack and thrusting the defenceless 29-year-old into a wall.
Police at the scene announced that Richardson had reported the dispute stemmed from Coleman taking her headphones; she adamantly denied assaulting him, claiming a verbal argument instead.
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Christian Coleman defends girlfriend Sha’Carri Richardson after domestic assault
The athletic couple have been together for around two years, with the boyfriend opting not to press charges, instead defending the actions of his other half.
Coleman told local reporters: “For me, it was a bad situation all around. I don’t feel like she should have been arrested.
“She’s a human, she’s a great person, and we’ve been great teammates all year. She’s the best female athlete in the world, and she’ll bounce back.”
The Olympic and World Championship gold medalist spent a period in custody before being released following the incident.
She’s since posted an Instagram video stating the incident has brought deep self-reflection before announcing she’s seeking help.
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Richardson announced: “I’m holding myself accountable for putting myself in a compromising position with someone I deeply care about.
“I’m getting help to be the person I truly am in my heart and spirit. I refuse to run away from this moment – I’m facing it head on.”
And she followed with an apology to her boyfriend: “You gave me more than a relationship; you gave me a greater understanding of unconditional love.
“I love you and I am so sorry. My apology should be louder than my actions.”
Nike continue to feature Sha’Carri Richardson after domestic violence arrest
Despite the controversy, the sprinter’s handling in the aftermath of the incident has seemingly salvaged her partnership with Nike as she continues to feature heavily on their website.
The homepage has her emblazoned over the company’s branding of their Nike Vomero Plus running shoe, a move that has drawn both criticism and support globally.
The 2024 Olympics 100m silver and 4x100m gold medalist has a range of tantalising highs and gut-wrenching lows in her young career to date.
A failed drug test saw her famously miss the Tokyo 2021 Olympics after a positive marijuana test, which she claimed was due to the stress of qualifying and personal trauma.
The 2025 World Athletics Championships are taking place in Tokyo next month, and Richardson will be desperate to retain her 2023 100m gold medal.
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