After initially forgoing media availability following her disappointing performance this weekend, Sha’Carri Richardson returned to the press pool with a message for reporters.
When one reporter asked if Richardson could talk about the weekend as a whole, the track star responded:
No. What I have to say – y’all can all take this interview and do whatever you want to do with it – I’m coming to speak not on just my behalf but all athletes’ behalf.
That when you guys do interviews, y’all should respect athletes more. Y’all should understand them coming from whether they’re winning, whether they’re losing, whatever the case may be… athletes deserve way more respect than when y’all just come and throw cameras into their faces. Understand how an athlete operates and then ask your questions. Then be more understanding of the fact that they are still human, … Y’all just trying to get something to put out an article to make a dollar.
Thank you.
Richardson suffered an enormous setback on Thursday and followed that up with a fifth-place finish on Sunday which means she failed to qualify for both the U.S. trials and World Championships in Eugene.
Richardson had avoided speaking to media members for the past few events, prompting some to wonder if a statement like this would eventually be made.
It’s been a tough stretch for the former LSU standout after it seemed nothing could stop her from taking home a medal in last year’s Tokyo Games.