American sprint star Fred Kerley has been arrested and booked into Broward County Jail following an altercation at the meet hotel on Thursday night, just two days before he was scheduled to compete at Grand Slam Track’s inaugural U.S. event in Miami, according to emerging reports.
The 29-year-old Olympian was charged with touch or strike battery. No immediate timeline for his release has been provided.
In a statement to LetsRun.com, who has reported on the incident, Grand Slam Track confirmed that Kerley will not participate in this weekend’s meet, and declined to comment on whether he would be allowed to compete at the series’ remaining stops in Philadelphia (May 30–June 1) and Los Angeles (June 27–29).
“Fred Kerley was arrested last night. The matter is under active investigation, and all inquiries should be directed to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Fred will not compete this weekend. We have no further comment at this time,” the statement read.
Kerley, a world champion over 100m in 2022 and a two-time Olympic medalist—silver in 2021 and bronze in 2024—was one of the headliners signed as a “Racer” in Grand Slam Track’s short sprints group. His withdrawal from the Miami meet comes amid a turbulent stretch both on and off the track.
This marks the second time Kerley has been arrested in 2025. He was taken into custody in January in Miami Beach after an altercation with law enforcement and later pled not guilty to charges of battery on a police officer and resisting arrest. Additionally, Kerley is facing charges of battery by strangulation and robbery by sudden snatching in connection with a separate incident involving his wife in May 2024. He has also pled not guilty in that case.
On the track, Kerley’s 2024 season was marked by instability. He parted ways with sponsor Asics before the U.S. Olympic Trials but still managed to qualify for the Paris Olympics, where he finished third in the 100m final. Competing without a shoe sponsor in 2025, Kerley placed fourth in the short sprints group at Grand Slam Track’s opening event in Kingston, Jamaica, last month.
Kerley’s agent, Ricky Simms, has not commented publicly on the latest development.