5 Years After Facing Heat Over Suspension, Sha’Carri Richardson’s BF Christian Coleman Gets a Special Nike Reward

2019 was a big year for Sha’Carri Richardson. She had just turned pro and Nike was right there behind her as a proud sponsor. But it wasn’t just her who had the grace of Nike behind them. Nah, her now boyfriend Christian Coleman was also sponsored by Nike. Back then he had nothing to do with Richardson, but on the track, he was already a phenom. Since winning the 100m gold at the Doha World Championship, he was at his absolute peak. But things would soon go down. As he missed three drug tests and got a two-year suspension, Nike wasn’t ready to abandon him.

Coleman’s excuse? He claimed he was home watching an NFL game at 8:15 pm, so the doping control officers must have left early. That’s a solid excuse—except the receipts told a different story. The tribunal laid out a timeline that made his alibi look shakier than a bad relay exchange. He was shopping at 7:13 pm, grabbing Chipotle at 7:53 pm, and somehow picking up 16 items at Walmart by 8:22 pm.

“We do not accept the athlete’s evidence,” the tribunal ruled, basically shutting down his defense. To make matters worse, Coleman—who used to make close to a seven-figure salary from Nike—also claimed he never even saw the doping officers stationed right outside his house. Meanwhile, track fans had their own target: Nike.

Many were quick to criticize the company for still featuring Coleman on their Track Spikes page. But fast forward to 2025, and things have taken a wild turn. Nike is now making its biggest move yet, shaking up the lives of both Sha’Carri Richardson and Christian Coleman in a way no one saw coming. On February 25, Track Spice shook up the track world with a post on X featuring Christian Coleman’s new Nike promo.

But was it just a simple promo? Of course not! The caption read, “Christian Coleman x Nike,” alongside a sleek, high-quality shot of Coleman rocking a blue sweatshirt and black joggers—picture-perfect. The image also included a quote from Coleman himself: “Running track, you’ve got to feel like the best in the world. My style has to represent that too.” No doubt, Nike is backing him in full force. But let’s not forget—just 5 years ago, in 2020, things weren’t looking so smooth.

After Coleman was handed his two-year ban, Nike still had him featured on their Track Spikes page, and track fans had thoughts. One user,  called it out, questioning whether it was an oversight or if Nike was once again “standing by their questionable athletes.” And that was all it took for the internet to do its thing.

One person didn’t mince words: “They sure continue to support all their anti-doping rule violators, to put it gently.” Another, clearly unimpressed, added, “Um, I get your point, but it’s Nike—what do you expect?” Then came the conspiracy theories, with one user confidently typing, “They’re probably facilitating the doping so…”—a bold claim made with zero hesitation.

And because no internet debate is complete without an off-topic rant, someone threw in, “I bet you can’t say Merry Christmas at Nike HQ.” At that point, the discussion had shifted away from Christian Coleman entirely. It had morphed into a full-on debate (or roast) of Nike itself—some dragging them for their choices, others brushing it off, and the rest just enjoying the chaos.

But now, the conversation has taken a whole new turn. Nike is making major moves, and it all seems to have started with Coleman’s rumored girlfriend since 2023, Sha’Carri Richardson’s campaign.

Sha’Carri Richardson running the show on and off the track

Earlier this year, Sha’Carri Richardson made it clear—she’s not just dominating the track; she’s owning the spotlight too. Known for her bold hairstyles and unapologetic style, she’s faced plenty of criticism but never backed down. So when Nike dropped an exclusive line of silk hoodies for WNBA star A’ja Wilson, Richardson wasted no time showing love.

She hyped it up with a “@aja22wilson THANK YOUUUUU.” Her partnership with Nike has been on fire lately, and it’s pretty clear—they’re betting big on her. And why wouldn’t they? Richardson just became the first track athlete in 27 years to land a spot in Nike’s Super Bowl ad, a powerful black-and-white campaign with the anthem “You can’t win. So Win.”

But that wasn’t all. She also became a featured face in Nike’s athlete shopping collection, rocking a bold red tracksuit in a promo email sent to Nike users. Whether she’s sprinting or making a fashion statement, Richardson is turning heads—and with the way things are going, she’s just getting started.