Boyfriend speaks out after Sha’carri Richardson’s domestic violence arrest

American sprinter Christian Coleman defended his girlfriend Sha’Carri Richardson after the Olympic track and field star was arrested for domestic violence at the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport last month.

During an interview Citius Mag at the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships, Coleman explained that he didn’t think Richardson should’ve been arrested and that he hates negative narratives surrounding them.

“For me personally, I feel like it was a sucky situation all round,” said Coleman, who competed in the 100 and 200 meters and failed to qualify for next month’s world championships. “I don’t feel like she should have been arrested. I mean people have discussions and emotions and stuff like that. She has things that she needs to work on for herself, of course. So do I, so do you, so does everybody.

“But I’m the type of guy who’s in the business of extending grace, and mercy and love. I hate the narrative too… its so negative. In the state of Seattle, even talking to the cop to whatever, he was like, ‘There is really nothing I can do.’”

TSA notified police about a disturbance between Richardson and Coleman, according to the AP.

An officer that reviewed camera footage observed that Richardson grabbed Coleman’s backpack and yanked it and that Coleman was shoved into a wall.

The officer said Coleman kept trying to walk around Richardson and out of the way, but she kept getting in front of him.

Richardson also appeared to throw an item at Coleman, which the TSA indicated may have been headphones.

“I understood… but she’s a great human being and a great person,” Coleman said. “We’ve been able to be a really good teammates all year. And I hate that narrative too because us coming together, we’re just two dominant personalities. And she is, to me, the greatest female athlete in the world. I see it everyday.

“… She just has a lot of things going on, 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. And I’m one of one too… She’s going to be just fine. I’m going to be good too. So, it is what it is.”

Richardson, 25, was arrested on fourth-degree domestic violence assault and booked into the South Correctional Entity (SCORE) in Des Moines, Wash. on July 27.

She was released from custody at the SCORE South Correctional Facility after 19 hours, according to records viewed by The Post.

Coleman, who is a three-time world championship gold medalist, did not press charges and “declined to be a victim,” the police report viewed by The Athletic stated.

“USATF is aware of the reports and is not commenting on this matter,” USA Track and Field said in a statement.

Richardson declined comment to reporters at the U.S. championships, according to USA Today.

The couple has been dating for more than two years.

Richardson narrowly missed qualifying for the 200-meter final Sunday at the U.S. track and field championships in Eugene, Ore.

She has an automatic bye to the world championships in September in Tokyo as the defending champion.

In January 2023 Instagram post, Richardson said she was removed from an American Airlines plane after she had an argument with a male flight attendant.

A positive marijuana test at the 2021 U.S. Olympic trials kept Richardson out of the Tokyo Games. She then took gold at the 2024 Paris Games as part of the 4×100-meter relay team and silver in the individual 100-meter.