Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who was suspended last week after a positive test for marijuana, was not put on the United States’ Olympic 4×100 relay team, ending her chances to complete in the Tokyo Games later this month.
USA Track and Field released the roster on Tuesday evening. Richardson, 21, won the 100 meter race at the U.S. Olympic trials in June, but her victory was vacated after her positive test; marijuana is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list, and on Friday, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency suspended her for 30 days. Because of the suspension, she is not allowed to compete in the 100 meter race at the Tokyo Olympics.
Still, Richardson’s suspension will end before the relays start on August 5, and the sprinter was hopeful that she could be placed on the 4×100 team. Beyond the top four finishers at the Olympic trials, USA Track & Field had two more spots to fill, and decided to go with the sixth- and seventh-place finishers.
In a statement, USA Track and Field said it is “incredibly sympathetic toward Sha’Carri Richardson’s extenuating circumstances” and “fully agrees” that international rules about marijuana need to be reviewed. However, the organization “must also maintain fairness for all of the athletes who attempted to realize their dreams by securing a place on the U.S. Olympic Track & Field team.”
Richardson said she smoked marijuana during the trials after learning from a reporter that her biological mother had died. During an interview last week with Today, Richardson apologized for the incident, saying she was in “a state of emotional panic” and was “definitely triggered and blinded by emotions.”
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