Twanisha Terry has lived most of her career under the glare of the stopwatch, defined by the fractions of seconds that separate winners from the field. An Olympic gold medalist in the 4x100m relay at Paris 2024, a two-time World Championships relay champion, and once the joint fourth-fastest under-20 woman in history at 10.99 seconds, Terry, who is also Sha’Carri Richardson’s training partner, built her reputation on steady progression rather than overnight miracles. The latest conversation around her, however, is less about the times on the board and more about accusations that have circulated beyond the lanes.

The shadow has extended to her coach as well. Dennis Mitchell, who has guided athletes to global medals for more than a decade, is no stranger to scrutiny. His record includes leading the 2016 Olympic relay team to gold, overseeing multiple successful World Relay squads, and coaching athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson through her 2023 triple medal campaign at the World Championships. His credibility in athletics is well established, yet suspicions directed at him and his training group have stirred debate. Sha’Carri faced this ordeal after the U.S. Olympic Trials 2021 and missed going to Tokyo as she tested positive for a prohibited substance and was suspended. And now, with suspensions elsewhere in the sport heightening sensitivities, particularly the news about Fred Kerley’s suspension, those running exceptional marks are often spoken about with suspicion, regardless of their testing history.

It is this environment that drew a sharp response from Terry this week. In a direct statement shared on her official X account, she declared, “Everybody is going to have their opinion’s because it’s sports and that’s fine. However, what y’all are not going to do is accuse me of using any type of substance. Injuries and stuff happen in sports.” Her frustration was evident, but her words also underlined a deeper point about the fairness of competing while constantly facing public suspicion. She reminded her critics of her history of clean performances, saying she had been in the testing pool since college and “had nothing negative attached to me.”

The accusations, she argued, ignore the reality of her progression. “Who would be using a substance to run 10.8 please find somebody to play with like I wasn’t a consistent 10.9 runner as a freshman & ran 10.8 in college.. my first year professional and so on.” By laying out her times across years, Terry attempted to ground her defense in facts. She acknowledged that ignoring stray remarks is sometimes possible, but she drew a line at being accused of doping. “Y’all it’s one thing about ignoring comments, which I can do but accusing somebody of doping is not cool at all.”

For Terry, the matter is about dignity as much as sport. She emphasized that she has “so many hobbies/talents outside of track” and would sooner walk away than compromise her integrity for performance. Her voice joins a chorus of athletes unsettled by the climate of suspicion following high-profile suspensions. In defending both her career and her reputation, Terry sought to remind her audience that her story was written long before the current uproar, and that the clock has always been her judge, not rumors. However, this is not the first time that the coach’s name is being entangles into the subject of doping. Back in 2017, Justin Gatlin dismissed Dennis Mitchell after his coach was implicated in a doping probe.

How, Almost a Decade Ago, Justin Gatlin Cut Ties With Coach Dennis Mitchell Over a Doping Scandal

Justin Gatlin parted ways with his longtime coach, Dennis Mitchell after Mitchell became embroiled in a high-profile doping investigation back in 2017. The then reigning world champion over 100 meters acted swiftly after London’s The Telegraph published the results of an undercover inquiry, in which Mitchell and sports agent Robert Wagner were recorded discussing performance-enhancing substances with individuals posing as film producers. The incident cast an immediate shadow over Gatlin’s training environment and prompted him to announce Mitchell’s dismissal.

In a pointed message posted on Instagram, Gatlin sought to draw a firm boundary between himself and the controversy. “I am not using and have not used PED’s,” he wrote, adding that he was “shocked and surprised to learn that my coach would have anything to do with even the appearance of these current accusations.”

He even explained that he had “fired him as soon as I found out about this,” while also making clear that legal steps were under consideration: “All legal options are on the table as I will not allow others to lie about me like this.” The sprinter closed by thanking his supporters and declaring that the matter would next be addressed through his lawyer.

The Telegraph’s recordings depicted Mitchell and Wagner in discussions about methods of obtaining testosterone and human growth hormone for athletes, while also outlining strategies to evade detection. Wagner went so far as to claim, “You think Justin is not doing this? Do you think Dennis [Mitchell] wasn’t doing this? Everybody does it.”

Although Justin Gatlin himself has categorically rejected these allegations, the fallout has been immediate and severe. By severing ties with Mitchell, Gatlin signaled his determination to protect his career and distance himself from a scandal that threatens to destabilize the sport once again.