US sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson test positive for marijuana and is set to miss Tokyo Olympic Games
TOKYO 2020 • 23 July to 8 August 2021
July 2, 2021
TOKYO (AGN.News) — Sha’Carri Richardson is an American track and field sprinter, who competes in the 100 meters and 200 meters.
Richardson, as a freshman at Louisiana State University, set a record by running 10.75 seconds in the 100 meters at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships. This winning time made her one of the ten fastest women in history at 19 years old.
Richardson, from Dallas, Texas, qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo after winning the women’s 100-meter dash with 10.86 in the United States Olympic Trials.
The 21-year-old US sprinter won the 100-meter in Oregon in June and earlier this year ran the sixth-fastest time in history.
Winners are required to be drug tested
As a winner, Richardson would have to take the mandatory drug test. The test revealed that Richardson had failed the mandatory drug test. This failure set into motion a series of events.
First, following her Olympic qualifying 100-meter race victory, she was “disqualified, forfeiting any medals, points, and prizes,” as of June 19, according to a statement from the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
Secondly, she would be required to complete a drug counseling program. After successfully completing this required counseling program, Richardson accepted a one-month period of ineligibility that began on June 19, 2021.
Technically, her one month suspension would end before Tokyo’s track and field program begins on 30 July, which “could” make her eligible to compete.
The US Anti-Doping Agency said she had accepted the suspension for what it said was “a substance of abuse” rather than for enhancing performance.
What happened in her life?
Just a week before her qualifying race for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, Richardson’s biological mother died. Richardson explained she had used marijuana as a way of coping.
In an interview with NBC’s Today show, She said, “I apologize for the fact that I didn’t even know how to control my emotions or deal with that (death) during that time”. “Don’t judge me, because I am human, I just happen to run a little faster,” she said.
“The rules are clear, but this is heartbreaking on many levels,” said US Anti-Doping Agency’s chief executive Travis Tygart.
Richardson is highly motivated
When asked whether she still hoped to take part in the Games, Richardson said she would focus on herself, and suggested she would not be competing in Tokyo.
“I greatly apologize if I let you guys down – and I did. This will be the last time the US comes home without a gold in the 100m,” she added.
“I’m 21, I’m very young, I have plenty of Games left in me to compete in and plenty of talent that backs me up because everything I do comes naturally to me, no steroids or anything.
“This incident was about marijuana so after my sanction is up I’ll be back. Next time I step on the track I’ll be ready for whatever anti-doping agencies come and [they will] get whatever they need because this will never happen again.”
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