Track-and-field star Sha’Carri Richardson said she plans on seeking help following her arrest at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on July 27. She was arrested after a physical confrontation with fellow athlete Christian Coleman, who is also her boyfriend.
What did Sha’Carri Richardson say after she was arrested?
Richardson took to social media to share that she will be seeking help: “I’m taking this time to not only see myself but get myself a certain level of help that overall is going to reflect who I truly am in my heart and my spirit and not allowing this moment — but accepting this moment — to be more,” she said in an Instagram Story posted on Monday, according to Field Level Media.
On the afternoon of the arrest, Richardson also tweeted: “I WILL ALWAYS GET BACK UP!!!”
The athlete also shared that she appreciated being held accountable by fans after the incident became public.
“More than anything, definitely a lot of self reflection, a lot of understanding of not only putting myself in a compromising situation with somebody that I have a deep care and appreciation for as well, is something that — holding myself accountable,” Richardson said on Instagram, per Field Level Media.
“So my only thing is, I want to be more — not just only for myself, for my family, my fans,” she added. “I overly appreciate y’all supporting me and showing love and even holding me accountable to being my best self. So more than anything, I refused to run away … but face everything that comes to me head-on because everything on the other side is greater but you gotta go through in order to get there.”
Sha’Carri Richardson publicly apologized to boyfriend Christian Coleman
“I apologize to Christian. He came into my life and gave me more than a relationship but a greater understanding of unconditional love from what I’ve experienced in my past,” she said, according to Field Level Media. “Due to my past trauma and pain, I was blind and blocked off to not only receive it but give it. I love him and to him I can’t apologize enough.”
Coleman took Richardson’s defense; he advocated for her character and said he doesn’t believe she should have been arrested for the incident.
“I don’t feel as if she should have been arrested,” he told The Athletic last week. “She’s a human being and a great person.”
“She just has a lot of things going on,” Coleman added. “A lot of emotions and forces going on inside of her that not only I can’t understand, but nobody can. Because she’s one of one. … I know that it’s been a tough journey for her this year. But she’s going to bounce back. Like I said, I see it every day. She’s the best female athlete in the world, and she’s going to be just fine. She’s going to be good. I’m going to be good, too.”
