American Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley has secured a significant legal victory in Florida after prosecutors dropped a domestic violence case against him from 2024.
Case Dismissed After 'Utter Lack of Evidence'
The domestic violence allegations originated from a dispute in May 2024, when Kerley's now-estranged wife alleged they had a physical altercation during which he impeded her breathing. The case was reported by TMZ at the time.
On Thursday, the state attorney's office decided to dismiss the charge. Kerley celebrated the news on Instagram, writing: 'They put me through hell, but truth walked me home. Cases dismissed. Blessing on blessings. Thank to the bests lawyer.'
His attorney, Richard Cooper, told TMZ: 'I'm happy to report that the case was dismissed due to an utter lack of evidence and good faith to proceed by the prosecutor. My client could never and would never hurt a woman, especially the mother of his children.'
Ongoing Legal and Professional Challenges
Despite this victory, the 30-year-old Texas native still faces other legal hurdles. He was arrested in January 2025 after a confrontation with Miami Beach police, during which officers used a stun gun on him. For that battery on law enforcement case, his attorney Yale Sanford explained Kerley must complete a six-month pre-trial diversion programme for the charge to be dropped.
Furthermore, Kerley was charged with misdemeanour battery in a separate incident from May 2025, where he allegedly punched his former girlfriend, Olympic hurdler Alaysha Johnson. He has denied those accusations.
Professionally, the Tokyo 2020 100m silver medallist and Paris 2024 bronze medallist is also appealing a doping ban from 2025 for a missed test.
A New Chapter with the Enhanced Games
Amid these challenges, Kerley has announced a controversial career move. He has signed up for the Enhanced Games, a competition scheduled for May next year which permits supervised performance-enhancing drug use.
The event is offering substantial financial incentives, including a $1 million prize for broken world records and a $250,000 prize for each event winner from a total purse of $500,000 per discipline.
'I'm looking forward to this new chapter and competing at the Enhanced Games,' Kerley told the event's website. His attorney Cooper added that his client is now focused on 'winning races and inspiring people around the world.'
