Track & field superstar Sha’Carri Richardson took to Twitter to talk about her disdain for not being invited to ESPN’s 2023 EPSY Awards on Jul. 12 in Los Angeles.
She claims she was invited years ago when things weren’t going well. “The ESPYS invited me when my life was in shambles as if I was a charity case,” Richardson wrote. “The disrespect that track & field receives in the USA alone is nasty. Half of the athletes there now could not do what we do on our WORST day.”
Fans jumped on her timeline to support her sentiments with comments such as, “For what it’s worth, I agree and respect and love your preservance [sic ]and talent.” Another fan egged her on, telling the athlete to “Talk yo TRUTH fam.”
Richardson shared more tweets showcasing how different her sport is compared to others. “The NBA, NFL have organizations to HELP their athletes, not exploit them,” Richardson wrote. “Y’all have no idea how many track athletes that don’t even have a base salary, there are some athletes that literally sign contracts for CLOTHES!”
The outburst comes shortly after Richardson, 23, comes down from winning her first national title on July 6 at the U.S. Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Earlier this year, the former Louisiana State University athlete ran a speed of 10.57 during the Miramar Invitational, which, at the time, was the fourth-fastest time in the history of the women’s 100-meter sprint.
Richardson has been relatively quiet before this. In 2021, she made headlines after being suspended from competing at the Tokyo Olympic Games for positive marijuana tests, Vibe reports. The penalty drew criticism from cannabis supporters, including Sean “Diddy” Combs and other hip-hop heavyweights.