The Olympic Games have strict rules against doping and drug use to maintain the integrity of the event. American sprinter, Sha’Carri Richardson, tested positive for a banned substance related to marijuana use, leading to her exclusion from the Tokyo Olympics.
Richardson clocked 10.86 seconds in the 100 at the Olympic Trials. However, she failed the drug test post-trials which detected traces of marijuana-related chemicals in her system, resulting in her suspension from the Olympic Games.
She received a 30-day suspension that ends after the Olympic 100 event. Jenna Prandini, who finished fourth in the Trials, is anticipated to replace Richardson in the 100m race. Richardson may still compete in women’s relays, subject to decisions by the USA Track and Field team.
Responding to the situation, Richardson posted a tweet saying “I am human” and later elaborated in an interview that she used marijuana recreationally to cope with the recent loss of her mother.
BREAKING: American champion Sha’Carri Richardson cannot run in the Olympic 100-meter race after testing positive for a chemical found in marijuana. Richardson won the 100 at Olympic trials on June 19. https://t.co/ERUw1HA8ev
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 2, 2021
Reflecting on her actions, Richardson shared on The Today Show that she turned to marijuana to deal with emotional pain and grief, stating, “I was definitely triggered and blinded by emotions, blinded by badness, and hurting, and hiding hurt. I know I can’t hide myself, so in some type of way, I was trying to hide my pain.”
The USA Track and Field team expressed sadness over Richardson’s situation, calling it devastating for all involved. The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee mentioned that they are collaborating with USATF to decide on the next steps regarding the matter.
(function() {
var loaded = false;
var loadFB = function() {
if (loaded) return;
loaded = true;
(function (d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s);
js.id = id;
js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.0”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));
};
setTimeout(loadFB, 0);
document.body.addEventListener(‘bimberLoadFbSdk’, loadFB);
})();
