Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson is representing Team USA at the Paris Summer Olympics.
Her appearance at the Olympics finishes off a three-year ordeal that began before the Tokyo Games, when Richardson tested positive for cannabis—a banned substance under World Anti-Doping Agency Rules—after bursting into the American sporting consciousness with an outstanding performance at the Olympic trials in 2021.
Here’s a detailed look at why Sha’Carri Richardson was suspended from the Tokyo Olympics and the impact that setback had on the athlete.
Contents
Why was Sha’Carri Richardson suspended?
In June 2021, Richardson qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, winning the 100-m sprint at the U.S. Olympic Trials with a time of 10.86 seconds. But days later, it was revealed that she had tested positive for cannabis use.
Richardson admitted to the use and on July 2, 2021, accepted a one-month suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Her suspension was lifted two days before the women’s 100-m event was scheduled at the Tokyo Olympics, however her Olympic qualifying results had been annulled, leaving her unable to participate in the race.
Read More: Sha’Carri Richardson’s Suspension for Marijuana Defies Common Sense
How did people react to Sha’Carri Richardson’s suspension?
The suspension sparked outcry in the United States, where legalization of marijuana for both medical and recreational use has become widespread. Politicians on both sides of the divide, like Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz and New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, advocated for Richardson’s inclusion in the Olympics. But the protests were to no avail. (The World Anti-Doping Agency in 2022 reexamined cannabis’ status as a banned substance, and upheld the policy, citing that the substance still posed a health risk to athletes and violated “the spirit of sport.”)
President Biden weighed in on the discussion days after the ban was implemented. “The rules are the rules and everybody knows…
