LetShacarriRun
A Case Study Examining the Dissemination of Crisis Information During an Athlete Reputational Crisis
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17813993 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Natalie Brown‐devlin (0000-0002-8176-0647, The University of Texas at Austin, corresponding author), Kristen L Sussman (0000-0002-0704-6701, Texas State University), Gary B Wilcox (0000-0002-4960-2585, The University of Texas at Austin) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 1-11 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Sport Communication (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1936-3907 • E-ISSN: 1936-3915 |
| Publisher | Human Kinetics (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1123/ijsc.2026-0010 |
| OpenAlex | W7160399550 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 43 |
Following an outstanding 2020 Olympic trials performance, the United States Anti-Doping Agency suspended likely medal favorite Sha’Carri Richardson for marijuana use, placing her in an athlete reputational crisis that would, in many ways, shape her career. Grounded in situational crisis communication theory and the social-mediated crisis communication model, this manuscript utilizes three studies to examine Richardson’s attempt at reputation repair and outline how crisis information was disseminated. Using a mix of natural language processing and qualitative review, we employ a thematic analysis, a social network analysis, and a textual analysis to reveal insight into (a) Richardson’s effort to engage in reputation repair, (b) the voices and social media accounts that influenced the flow of information, and (c) the amplification of certain reputation repair strategies. Together, Richardson’s case highlights how crises can, at times, be co-opted into larger policy discussions. Finally, this case underscores how a crisis can sway how the media discusses an athlete years later
Crisis communication · Grounded theory · Intermediary · Reputation · Reputation management · Situational ethics · Social media · Thematic analysis · Media Studies and Communication · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Sports, Gender, and Society
How publics respond to crisis communication strategies
How Audiences Seek Out Crisis Information
Is the medium the message? Perceptions of and reactions to crisis communication via twitter, blogs and traditional media
Crisis communication online
Is thematic analysis used well in health psychology? A critical review of published research, with recommendations for quality practice and reporting
Situational Crisis Communication Theory and the National Football League
Examining the Intersection of Sport, Social Media, and Crisis Communication
How Do Moral Values and Crisis Response Strategies Influence Individuals’ Evaluations and Support of Sports Organizations Post-Crisis
What Inspired That Tweet
Interwoven Statesmanship and Sports Fandom
Everyone Hates the NCAA
May No Act of Ours Bring Shame”
The Beginning of a Reckoning
Extending and Withholding Forgiveness to Josh Hamilton
From Yellow to Blue
Sports Identification in Situational Problem-Solving
The presentation of celebrity personas in everyday twittering
A Set of Measures of Centrality Based on Betweenness
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Organizational Hashtags During Times of Crisis
Degrees of Freedom
Information, Opinion, or Rumor? The Role of Twitter During the Post-Electoral Crisis in Côte d'Ivoire
The Psychological Meaning of Words
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |