Sam Blaskowski, a U.S. sprinter seeking to switch his international allegiance to Poland, has apologized Wednesday after old footage resurfaced showing him using the N-word while in high school.

Last week, social media user @TheErinBrown shared a video to Instagram, TikTok and X showing footage of Blaskowski singing along to the N-word and laughing, as well as screenshots of Snapchat posts containing racist language. In one, he makes a racist joke about Black people and swimming, using an expletive to compare Black people to feces.

Blaskowski acknowledged the posts in a statement and said he has removed himself from Star Athletics and is no longer coached by Dennis Mitchell.

From his Instagram:

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, and while I did face and accept the consequences of the posts then, these images have reappeared.

I fully understand why they are causing real pain and frustration from people, especially those close to me who were not aware of the issue from several years ago. I have removed myself from Star Athletics, and want to give everyone the time to process, avoid being a distraction and see what the future holds.

First 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.

The values I hold today, and the way I live my life as a young adult are very different from the judgment I showed when I was younger. As I have grown older, I have had the opportunity to learn more about racism, prejudice, and the responsibility that comes with having a public platform. I am grateful to the people who have challenged me to understand why my actions were wrong. This learning experience has shaped me to who I am today, and I strive every day through my actions to become a better human in this world. Even with that I cannot change the past, and I again take full responsibility and accountability for these actions, no matter what my age was.

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. I have spent this week in outreach and conversations to attempt to rebuild the bridges of trust I have damaged. The second priority for me is to be a better leader for change and acceptance well beyond the athletic world. That will take a lifetime to do, but it is my goal and I will work hard to achieve it.

To anyone I hurt, then and now, near and far. I hear you, I see you and I am sorry.

-Sam Blaskowski

Reaction

Former professional sprinter Justin Gatlin, who also used to train under Mitchell, condemned the videos and behavior, saying, “Those kinds of things can not happen in our sport…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 issued the following statement after Blaskowski's:

"Star Athletics does not condone racism, discrimination or bullying of any kind.

We are deeply concerned by the comments made some time ago by a member of our club.

We take this matter with the utmost seriousness.

The values of inclusivity, respect and accountability are foundational to our organization.

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 for all athletes, staff and members of the running community."

Background

Blaskowski ran a personal best of 9.89 at the Music City Track Carnival in Cleveland, Tenn., in May. It was his first career sub-10 performance and the only one of his 2026 outdoor season. He finished the year tied for the ninth-fastest man of 2026.

Blaskowski did not compete at the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships since he initiated the process of switching his allegiance in hopes of competing for Poland. Piotr Maruszewski, the coach of the Polish sprint team, contacted him after his personal best. Blaskowski competed in Poland three times in August.

The Polish 100m record of 10.00 is held by Marian Woronin from 1984.