KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell has dismissed allegations swirling in the public sphere that he is a ‘deadbeat dad’, declaring that he has always taken care of his daughter that he shares with media personality Amita Persaud-Webb.

Last year, Persaud-Webb hauled Powell before the court for child support, an action which triggered social media chatter that the Jamaican track icon was not a supportive dad to his eight-year-old daughter.

However, Powell, in a 15-minute video on his YouTube channel on Sunday, sought to bring clarity to the issue.

“I’m not the type of person to come on social media and put my business out there…but this thing been lingering in the media for too long. My silence not helping,” Powell said.

The former 100 metre world record holder dismissed reports that he was once in a relationship with Persaud-Webb.

“The media have it to say that my daughter’s mother is my ex-[girlfriend]; please, stop saying that. She’s not my ex, she’s the mother of my child. We weren’t a couple, we weren’t together, we weren’t boyfriend and girlfriend. So please stop labelling the situation as ex,” argued Powell.

“I’ve done things in the past, you know, I was never innocent. I’ve got two beautiful children from my past and I love them to death. I take care of them fully; none a dem nah suffer. My kids are quite fine,” he declared.

Aside from his daughter, Powell has a son that lives with his parents, while he shares another son with his wife, Alyshia Miller, who is currently pregnant.

Turning once again to the situation involving his daughter, Powell explained that he only heard about Persaud-Webb’s pregnancy on radio in 2012, which he said was four months after their sexual encounter.

Nevertheless, the Olympian said he “stepped up” and ensured the mother-to-be was taken care of while he was away in Europe at that time.

“I was going to Europe (so) I gave her money to pay for her apartment, pay for everything, doctor fee. I asked my friend to drive her around with my car, drive her anywhere she want to go because I was excited, this was my first child,” Powell outlined.

He said his assistance to the expectant mother did not stop there, as he claimed he arranged driving lessons for her, bought her a car and paid for her college expenses.

“Whatever she need I give it to her,” revealed Powell.

Powell said, following the birth of his daughter, he continued to be supportive to the child and her mother, Persaud-Webb. However, he alleged that things began to change when his daughter’s mother became verbally abusive towards him and he considered taking legal action against her.

“During this time there was just a lot of verbal abuse, like random messages to my phone [and] calling me all sort of names. I ignore it. For years now court was supposed to come in play but my mom keep telling me, ‘Don’t go to court. It doesn’t look good,'” Powell explained.

Despite the alleged verbal abuse, he said: “I continue to support my daughter and my daughter’s mom during this time, like I said we were never together. I was just doing this out of love for my daughter and the appreciation I had for her (Persaud-Webb) for having my daughter.”

But in 2017, according to Powell, the alleged verbal abuse “got a bit too much”.

He elaborated that, “[It] turn inna too much threat. [She] threatened for me not to see my daughter again; that I ‘act like father but I’m not a father’. She threatened to change my daughter last name and telling me I’ve never done anything for my child… So I’m like what? I’ve never done anything for my child? That don’t mek sense.”

In light of these “threats”, the sprint sensation said he cut back his contributions.

“I cut back when she (Persaud-Webb) made that statement that I was never taking care of my child… I cut back on everything. I’m not gonna go in the details, but I cut back on everything,” he said. 

According to Powell, a verbal agreement was then reached between the parents, in which he agreed to pay $25,000 per month for maintenance of his daughter, along with half of her school fee.

During this time, Powell said, his daughter was living at his house as well as his parents’ house.

But, according to the Olympian, the communication between himself and Persaud-Webb deteriorated, resulting in the media personality communicating with Powell’s wife or his mother on any matter involving his daughter. 

“I could not have a conversation with her (Persaud-Webb), because there was just too much disrespect that I could not deal with,” he contended.

The court matter, Powell said, arose last year when Persaud-Webb left his daughter at his parent’s house for two months. 

Shortly after retrieving the child, Persaud-Webb allegedly asked Powell for child support. 

“Then she asked me for child support so I said, ‘Why do you need child support?… My daughter was at my house and my parents’ house… My daughter was at the house that I provided for my parents and money that I provided for my parents yuh understand… (and) my parents was taking care of my daughter. Why do you need child support? That’s when everything start,” lamented the 38-year-old father.

He did not elaborate further on what happened during the court process.

However, Powell, who said he was “usually a quiet person”, said it hurt him when persons around him questioned the situation involving his daughter and her mother.

“It kinda cut me deep when people around me questioning the situation. I mean, yeah, it don’t look good but you know everything and you shouldn’t question me,” he said.

To those who believed he was a “deadbeat dad”, Powell told them to continue to believe what they wished.

“If you guys believe I’m a deadbeat dad then continue to believe that… All the loyal people who know facts and know the truth, hats off to you but I just wanted to shed some light on this situation because it’s been going on for too long. I just can’t bother with that,” he argued.

While indicating that persons have been saying the same thing about him in relation to the care of his son, Powell pointed out that the boy lives with his parents. 

“I take care of that entire household. I bought that house, I do everything… and my son has been living with my parents from he was one-year-old,” he shared.

“People dislike you for many reasons: maybe it’s the way you talk; maybe it’s your success; maybe… how you look; maybe yuh nose too big. For many reasons people will just dislike you… For me, I don’t know what it is but people dislike yuh because yuh gwaan too perfect. I never tell anyone I was perfect,” Powell lamented.

“People just assume seh mi perfect. I don’t want to be perfect… Let me just stop here. Hope this open a lot of people eyes,” he concluded.

In the meantime, attorney Michelle Thomas, who represents Persaud-Webb in the matter, said she was “disappointed” and “baffled” by Powell’s remarks which she said are in defiance of a gag order by the court.

“I am baffled, disappointed and surprised that he is commenting in the public space when there was a clear indication from the court not to discuss this in the public space,” Thomas told Observer Online on Monday.

What’s worse, she said, “The matter involves a child and it is a sensitive issue. The minor is old enough to access the video…My interest is to protect the child.”