A day after Elaine Thompson-Herah’s management company announced that the sprinter was coachless due to unreasonable fees, Shanikie Osbourne dismissed the statement as a “big lie”.
“The package proposed by the former coach (Osbourne); by any measure of what is the norm for such service; was extremely excessive and without any flexibility to negotiate by the other party,” stated the release from Thompson-Herah’s management group, Andi Sports Management. ALSO READ: Olympic Champion Elaine Thompson-Herah Leaves Coach Over High Fees
“The professional separation came about due to a breakdown in negotiations on a compensation package for the services that would be provided by Coach Osbourne,” the agent mentioned in the statement. “The package proposed by the former coach, by any measure of what is the norm for such services, was extremely excessive and lacked any flexibility for negotiation by the other party. Collectively, we had no choice but to seek the services of another coach.”
Osbourne countered the claims made in the release. “What Marvin (Andi Sports Management) put out, saying we gave them no room to negotiate, is a big lie!” Osbourne told Sportsmax.TV.
Coach Osbourne said negotiations began when Thompson-Herah’s husband sent her an offer, which she called a “garbage contract,” leading to her rejection of it.
Elaine Thompson-Herah then initiated contact, after which they met and agreed on 15%. Osbourne reported that Thompson-Herah attempted to negotiate a lower rate, but Osbourne remained firm at 15%. “I remember her standing up, and she said to me, ‘Okay, you said 15 percent, and that’s it.’ And I said yes, that’s it, and she said ‘okay,’ and the meeting finished.”
Osbourne detailed that a week later, Derron reached out stating the need to discuss payment issues. She described frustration during subsequent meetings, particularly when Derron dismissed the percentage agreement and requested a specific figure.
Elaine Thompson-Herah’s coaching fee
A day after Osbourne’s clarification, Derron, in an interview on SportsMax TV, claimed that the figure Osbourne’s team was seeking was approximately $100,000,000 or just under US$1 million.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, who won the sprint double at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games under Stephen Francis, switched to be coached by her husband Derron at the beginning of the 2022 season.
She faced challenges in 2023, which she later attributed to injuries, before engaging Osbourne after her unsuccessful bid to join the Jamaican team for individual events at Budapest 2023. Under Osbourne’s tutelage, she posted her fastest times of the year, breaking 11 seconds with times of 10.92, 10.84, and 10.79.
Elaine Thompson-Herah acknowledged the benefits of working with Osbourne, for which she said she is “grateful and would like to express her thanks for her impact in a very short space of time.”
While currently being advised by her husband, Thompson-Herah is in the process of selecting a new coach. “Once our search is complete and a final decision is made we will once again use this medium to officially notify the fans, followers, and the general public.”
The release also emphasized, “With the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, fast approaching, Mrs. Thompson-Herah is fully focused on her preparations for the season and the defense of her Olympic titles.”
