Richardson to miss 100 after testing positive for cannabis
Sprinter may still be able to run in relay at Tokyo
Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, the U.S. Olympic Trials 100-meter winner, will miss the Olympic Games 100 after testing positive for cannabis at the Trials.
While Richardson was stripped of her Trials 100 victory she could still compete in Tokyo in the 4x100meter relay after agreeing to a 30-day suspension
The suspension ends July 27. The relay competition begins on August 5.
“The rules are clear, but this is heartbreaking on many levels; hopefully, her acceptance of responsibility and apology will be an important example to us all that we can successfully overcome our regrettable decisions, despite the costly consequences of this one to her,” USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart said in a statement.
Richardson, 21, tested positive for 11-nor-9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol an athlete agrees to participate in a treatment program (Carboxy-THC), a urinary approved by the athlete’s metabolite of 9tetrahydrocannabinol governing body. “In this case, Richardson (THC), the main psychoactive accepted a one-month constituent of cannabis, period of ineligibility that marijuana, and hashish, began on June 28, 2021, above the urinary Decision the date of her provisional Limit of 180 ng/mL, suspension,” USADA said as the result of a sample in its statement .”Richardson’s collected in competition at period of ineligibility the Trials on June 19, USADA was reduced to one month said. Cannabis, marijuana, because her use of cannabis and hashish are occurred out of competition Specified Substances in the and was unrelated class of Cannabinoids and to sport performance, are prohibited in competition and because she successfully under the USADA Protocol completed a counseling for Olympic and Paralympic program regarding Movement Testing, her use of cannabis. Her the United States Olympic one-month period of ineligibility—the and Paralympic Committee minimum allowed National Anti-Doping under the rules—is Policy, and the World Athletics the same result as the two Anti-Doping Rules, other Substance of Abuse all of which, as required, cases that USADA has handled have adopted the World since the 2021 Code Anti-Doping Code and the took effect.”
World Anti-Doping Agency Richardon’s positive test Prohibited List. was first reported Thursday
While a cannabis positive by a Jamaican news can result in a fouryear outlet. ban, the WADA code The report came on allows for a three-month the same day Richardson suspension if it is found withdrew from Sunday’s the drug was taken in a Diamond League meet in non-competition situation. Stockholm. No reason was The suspension can be further given for her withdrawal. reduced to a month if She also pulled out of the
Trials 200 competition last week.
Earlier Thursday the 21-year-old Richardson wrote on her Twitter feed “I am human.”
Richardson, who won the Trials 100 in 10.86 seconds, was projected as the pre-Olympic favorite in the event in Tokyo along with Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the two-time Olympic and four-time World champion in the event.
The Texan was aiming to become the first American woman to win the Olympic 100 since Gail Devers in 1996 after clocking a 10.72-second effort in April — one of her five runs under 11 seconds this season.
“Sha’Carri Richardson’s situation is incredibly unfortunate and devastating for everyone involved,” USA Track & Field said in a statement.
“Athlete health and wellbeing continue to be one of the USATF’s most critical priorities and we will work with Sha’Carri to ensure she has ample resources to overcome any mental health challenges now and in the future.”