*Whoa! We hope you’re ready for some not-so-good news about track & field star Sha’Carri Richardson. On Tuesday, the U.S. track and field federation announced she will NOT run in the Tokyo Olympics.
If you, like us, thought she was still going to allowed to participate because her 30-day suspension for failing a drug test for cannabis would end in time for her to participate on the relay team, well we obviously have another thing coming, as the saying goes.
So, while her suspension for ingesting weed would have benched Richardson for at least part of the Tokyo Olympics, the sprinter will now be completely barred from competing in the Olympics. Period. End of story.
Well, damn. What is up with that? We don’t know ’cause the U.S. track and field federation isn’t saying, so far. But the organization did release a statement which doesn’t really answer the question as to why she won’t allowed to compete at all.
“While USATF fully agrees that the merit of the World Anti-Doping Agency rules related to THC should be reevaluated, it would be detrimental to the integrity of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track & Field if USATF amended its policies following competition, only weeks before the Olympic Games,” the statement from USA Track & Field said.
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Meanwhile, Richardson’s suspension prompted a larger conversation online over cannabis legalization as many public figures chimed in on their belief that cannabis should be legalized across the country as reported by TheWrap:
Seth Rogan defended Richardson online by calling Team USA’s choice “insane” and calling for a reevaluation of marijuana’s reputation as a problematic “drug.”
“The notion that weed is a problematic ‘drug’ is rooted in racism,” Rogen wrote, “It’s insane that Team USA would disqualify one of this country’s most talented athletes over thinking that’s rooted in hatred. It’s something they should be ashamed of.”
Regarding what was only a suspension (at least as far we thought), Richardson responded with this comment on NBC’s Today Show on July 2nd:
“I just want to take responsibility for my actions. I’m not making an excuse or looking for any empathy in my case.”
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