American Sprinter Apologises Over Racist Posts After Leaving Star Athletics: 'I'm Embarrassed and Ashamed'

American sprinter Sam Blaskowski, who is in the process of switching his international allegiance to Poland, issued a public apology on Wednesday after old social media posts from his high school years containing racist language were brought to light.

The controversy began last week when videos and screenshots were shared across Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter).

The footage showed Blaskowski singing along to a song containing the N-word, while screenshots of Snapchat posts included a racist joke comparing Black people to faeces.

In response, Blaskowski released a statement acknowledging the posts. He also announced that he has parted ways with his training group, Star Athletics, and is no longer coached by Dennis Mitchell.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Blaskowski expressed deep regret for his past actions. "Almost seven years ago I shared two posts on social media that included a racial slur and what I thought at the time was a joke. It was not," he wrote.

"I fully understand why they are causing real pain and frustration from people... There are no excuses to use this type of language ever. I take full ownership of what I said and want to sincerely apologize for using these words. I am embarrassed and ashamed of myself."

Blaskowski stated that his values have changed significantly since his youth and that he has learned about the impact of racism and prejudice. He emphasised his commitment to rebuilding trust within the track and field community.

"My first priority is to try to repair the relationships of those who I have been blessed to be around these past few years... my coaches, my teammates and the track and field community," he continued. "To anyone I hurt, then and now, near and far. I hear you, I see you and I am sorry."

The incident drew condemnation from prominent figures in the sport. Former world champion sprinter Justin Gatlin, who also trained under Dennis Mitchell, spoke out against the behaviour.

"Those kinds of things cannot happen in our sport," Gatlin said. "We deal with that on a daily basis in the world. We should at least have sports as a sanctuary or safe haven to all people who are of athletic ability can enjoy each other regardless of your race, color or what country you come from.”

Star Athletics also released a statement confirming Blaskowski's departure from the club. "Star Athletics does not condone racism, discrimination or bullying of any kind," the organisation stated.

"We have actively reviewed this situation internally and have determined the appropriate next steps is to have Sam Blaskowski leave Star Athletics in alignment with our code of conduct. We remain firmly committed to fostering a safe, diverse and welcoming environment."

Blaskowski made headlines in May after running a personal best of 9.89 seconds in the 100 meters, his first-ever sub-10-second performance. The time ranked him as the ninth-fastest man in the world for the 2024 outdoor season.

He did not participate in the USATF Outdoor Championships as he had already begun the process to compete for Poland. The move was initiated after the coach of the Polish sprint team, Piotr Maruszewski, contacted him following his breakout performance.

Blaskowski competed in Poland three times in August. The current Polish 100m record is 10.00 seconds, set by Marian Woronin in 1984.