A roster of the U.S. track team for this year’s Olympics released Tuesday did not list sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson as a Tokyo team member.
Richardson ran the 100-meter race in 10.86 seconds during the U.S. Olympic trials last month, proving to be a star athlete and competitor. She tested positive for marijuana use around that same time and was suspended from the team for a month, per the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
Although her month-long suspension ends before the 4x100-meter relay on July 30 in Tokyo, USA Track & Field (USATF), which oversees the sport and the runner list, did not select Richardson to compete. The suspension cancels out her trial winnings.
“First and foremost, we are incredibly sympathetic toward Sha'Carri Richardson's extenuating circumstances and strongly applaud her accountability,” said the USATF in a statement Tuesday. “[We] will offer her our continued support both on and off the track.”
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The track and field governing body said it believes the World Anti-Doping Agency should reevaluate its rules regarding cannabis, but that selectively enforcing the current regulation “would be detrimental to” the Olympic team’s integrity.
In an interview on NBC’s "Today" Friday, Richardson said she used marijuana to cope with the death of her mother.