Sha’Carri Richardson left off U.S. relay team, won’t run in Tokyo Olympics

INDIANAPOLIS (NEXSTAR) – Banned sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson has been dropped from the US relay and will not compete in the Tokyo Olympics, rail officials said Tuesday.

Shortly after she won the Oregon Olympics last month, she tested positive for chemicals in marijuana. Although it was recognized that the drug was not used for performance enhancement purposes, Richardson still had her results deleted and was given a month’s suspension.

Richardson lost her place in the 100-meter Olympic race after testing positive, but could have run in the 4×100-meter relay if coaches had been chosen to put her on the team.

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The association had two discretionary decisions in addition to the four first place finishers in the 100 meter final at trials, but decided not to offer the 21-year-old sprinter, who would fight for Olympic gold, no place.

When asked how Richardson received the message, her agent Renaldo Nehemiah replied, “We haven’t even discussed it yet. It wasn’t actually a topic that we focused on. “

In a statement, the USATF said it was “incredibly compassionate with Sha’Carri Richardson’s extenuating circumstances” and “totally agrees” that international rules regarding marijuana should be reassessed.

“While our deepest understanding rests with Sha’Carri, we must also be fair to all athletes who have tried to achieve their dreams by securing a place on the US Olympic Track & Field Team,” the statement said .

All of these perfect people who know how to live life, I’m glad I’m not one of them!

– Sha’Carri Richardson (@itskerrii) July 4, 2021

In this case, it meant giving the remaining relay spots to the sixth and seventh, who had risen in the pecking order according to Richardson’s DQ. They are English Gardner and Alea Hobbs.

On Thursday, amid reports of her potential marijuana use circulating, Richardson posted a tweet simply saying, “I’m human.” On Friday, she went on TV and said she smoked marijuana to deal with her mother’s recent death to become.

“I was definitely triggered and blinded by emotion, blinded by wickedness and hurt and hidden hurt,” she told NBC. “I know I can’t hide, so I kind of tried to hide my pain.”

Richardson was reduced from a possible three-month sanction to one month for participating in a counseling program.

After the Olympic Games in London, international regulators lowered the threshold for a positive test for marijuana from 15 nanograms per milliliter to 150 ng / m. They stated that the new threshold is an attempt to ensure that usage is detected during the competition, and not in the days and weeks prior to the competition.

Although there has been widespread debate over whether marijuana should be considered a performance-enhancing drug, the US Anti-Doping Agency makes it clear on its website that “all synthetic and naturally occurring cannabinoids are banned from competition, with the exception of cannabidiol (CBD. ). ), “A by-product that is being investigated for potential medical benefits.

Richardson said if it was allowed to run in the season, “I’ll be grateful, but if not, I’ll just focus on myself.”

Her case is the latest in a series of doping-related embarrassments for the US track and field team. The Olympic bans include the reigning world champion in the 100 meters, Christian Coleman, who is serving a suspension due to a lack of tests, and the American record holder in the 1,500 and 5,000 meters, Shelby Houlihan, who tested positive for a performance promoter she was accused of on spoiled meat in a burrito. Also on Friday, the defending champion in the 100-meter hurdles, Brianna McNeal, received a five-year suspension for manipulation or attempted manipulation of the doping control procedure, which was upheld by the sports arbitration tribunal.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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