American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, expected to be one of the biggest draws at the Tokyo Olympics has tested positive for marijuana, the
United States Anti-Doping Agency and USA Track and Field announced on Friday, with the gold medal contender suspended from the U.S. Olympic team for one month.
Ms. Richardson appeared on NBC's Today show on Friday to discuss her suspension from the U.S. Olympic team due to testing positive for THC, the psychoactive compound found in marijuana. "Standing here, I'd just say don't judge me, because I am human," Richardson said. "I'm you, I just happen to run a little faster."
The 21-year-old athlete discussed some issues she had been dealing with prior to the failed test, noting that her mother had died days before and she was feeling immense pressure leading up to the qualifying race. She also stated that she was not making excuses and took responsibility for her actions.
News that Richardson was suspended for marijuana use prompted a larger conversation over cannabis legalization. Cannabis reform advocate Patrick Nightingale tells KDKA Radio's Lynne Hayes-Freeland " This is absolutely ridiculous, in 2021, when we live in a nation where 36 states have legalized medical cannabis, where tens of millions of Americans have accessed medical cannabis to treat conditions such as anxiety, and in some states, (not PA) to include depression."
Cannabis is not giving Ms. Richardson some unfair advantage over her competitors by doping her blood or causing her muscles to recover much more rapidly than her competition does, and it is very unfortunate to see this young woman's hopes and dreams to be the fastest woman in the world and to represent her country derailed over something as silly and outdated as a failed THC test, says Mr. Nightingale.