American champion Sha’Carri Richson can no longer run in the Olympic 100-meter race because she tested positive for a chemical in marijuana.
Richardson won the 100 at Olympic trials in 10.86 second on June 19. She spoke about her ban on Friday’s “Today” program. Her result was wiped out because she tested positive at the Olympic trial. Richardson will be able to take Richardson’s place in the 100 if Jenna Prandini finishes fourth.
Richardson agreed to a 30-day suspension, which will end July 27, so Richardson would still be able to participate in the women’s relays. USA Track and Field did not disclose plans for the relay.
The sprinter, 21 years old, was to take on Shelly-Ann Fraser -Pryce from Jamaica in one of the most anticipated races at the Olympic track meet.
Richardson sent out a tweet on Thursday confirming that she had been rumored to have used marijuana. She also stated that she was human and used marijuana to cope with the recent loss of her mother.
She told NBC that she was “definitely triggered and blinded, blinded, by emotions, blinded, by badness and hurting, as well as hiding my hurt.” “I know that I can’t hide my pain so I tried to hide it in some way.”
Richardson saw what could have been three months of sanctions reduced to one month after she completed a counseling program.
International regulators have relaxed the threshold of what is considered a positive for marijuana, from 15 nanograms per liter to 150. The new threshold was established to ensure that no in-competition marijuana use is detected.
Despite the wide-ranging debates over whether marijuana should be considered a performance-enhancing substance, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency states on its website that all synthetic and naturally occurring cannabinoids have been banned in competition, with the exception of cannabidiol, which is being investigated for potential medical benefits.
USATF released a statement saying that her situation was not favorable for relays. However, it did not comment on the possibility of her participation.
Richardson stated that she would be grateful if Richardson was allowed to participate in the relay. If not, she said, “I’m going to concentrate on myself.”
This is just the latest doping scandal for the U.S. track and field team. Christian Coleman, the reigning world champion at 100m, is currently suspended for missing tests. Shelby Houlihan (American record holder at 1,500 & 5,000 meters) was also banned from the Olympics after she tested positive for performance enhancers. She blamed the burrito for her results. On Friday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport imposed a five year ban on Brianna McNeal for tampering/attempting to tamper with the doping control process.
Richardson has also been disqualified, denial of the Olympics of a highly-hyped race, and an electrifying personality. With flowing orange hair, long fingers and long nails, she ran in the trials.
Richardson stated, “To put on an appearance and go out in the public eye and hide my pain. Who am I to tell y’all how to cope when y’re dealing with struggles and pain you’ve never experienced before?”