Sha'Carri Richardson Olympian

[Pink Partridge]

That is asinine. She admitted to having a banned substance in her system.

There are some people that love to fabricate racism. Such an injustice towards those that experience it for real.

 

[fla4fun]

I know there have been times in my life where I made a decision knowing there could be negative consequences, but accepting the risk was something I had to do at that moment in time to get through. I feel that is what occurred in this case. She knew the probable consequences would be a suspension and the loss of her spot in the Olympics, but in the big picture of losing her mom the loss of the Olympics was the lesser priority. Everyone processes grief differently and you do what you have to do to survive and get through it. I had not heard of Ms. Richardson before this all blew up, because I don’t follow sports, but I was encouraged by the fact she did accept responsibility for what happened and to my knowledge hasn’t tried to appeal the decision or throw blame elsewhere. I would like to see more people in the public eye own their choices and accept the consequences for them.

Whether we like the rules, or laws, we still need to obey them, or pay a penalty. If you feel a rule or law is unfair, fight to get it changed, don’t disregard it. If we do disregard it, we should be willing to accept whatever the stated penalty is. She did. It’s sad she won’t be competing this time around, but as someone else said, it’s only three years until the next Olympics, and I think she will be back.

 

[prairie_girl]

She was not selected for the relay team so she will miss the Tokyo Olympics.

 

[JimMIA]

She was not selected for the relay team so she will miss the Tokyo Olympics.

https://www.axios.com/shacarri-rich...ana-80280796-020d-4be4-befc-b4b04c0cf60c.html

 

[fly girl]

I haven't watched much of the qualifying Olympic trials, but I actually caught her run. I was in awe because she stands at only 5'1" and won. As a fellow shortie, I love love loved it!!

No doubt I was disappointed to hear she failed the drug test. A mistake so huge it cost her going to Tokyo. I didn't read the comments she made about USA not taking the gold (I definitely do not care for that), but I did see a small clip in which she owned her mistake. That is what I appreciate. She took responsibility for her actions, which sadly is a breath of fresh air in today's world.

 

[prairie_girl]

https://www.axios.com/shacarri-rich...ana-80280796-020d-4be4-befc-b4b04c0cf60c.html

thanks for adding a link

 

[nkereina]

It is not a performance enhancing drug

I think the concern was less about performance enhancing and more about the health risks. THC can cause delayed reactions, adverse mental health effects, even psychosis. Its a mind-altering substance that can stay within your system for a lot longer than caffeine or alcohol.

The bottom line is that if she wants to compete in the Olympics, she has to abide by their rules. If they said all athletes have to wear polka-dots and eat hot dogs, then that's what they have to do if they want to be part of it. I was glad to see she at least acknowledged that and owned the mistake. She's fortunate that she's young and seemingly will have a successful career going forward.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I think the concern was less about performance enhancing and more about the health risks. THC can cause delayed reactions, adverse mental health effects, even psychosis. Its a mind-altering substance that can stay within your system for a lot longer than caffeine or alcohol.

The bottom line is that if she wants to compete in the Olympics, she has to abide by their rules. If they said all athletes have to wear polka-dots and eat hot dogs, then that's what they have to do if they want to be part of it. I was glad to see she at least acknowledged that and owned the mistake. She's fortunate that she's young and seemingly will have a successful career going forward.

But the fact remains that alcohol & caffeine have those same affects and they don’t ban them. The length of time argument is a red herring, since there is nothing stopping somebody from showing up hung over the morning of their race. So my point remains - the hypocrisy of the rule is the problem.

 

[bdcp]

The reality is, it doesn't matter whether someone likes the rules or not, they exist and they are international ones. She knew the rules when she broke this one. It doesn't matter who it was, anyone who tested positive would be banned. It's hardly the first time someone has tested positive for banned substances. Her argument that she was upset over her mother doesn't really hold water. There are other ways to deal with anxiety, depression, etc. She knowingly did what she did and has to face the consequences.

 

[RedAngie]

I’m loving some of the comments on FB stories about this.

She herself accepts the consequences yet they’re whining how unfair it is, start a petition to get her reinstated, the entire 2000+ US team should boycott, etc.

Very entertaining.

 

[robinb]

I am very disappointed that she wasn't selected for the relay. My guess is that they selected English Gardner and Aleia Hobbs to cover their butts in case they need to fill a race before Sha'Carri's suspension is up.

 

[nkereina]

But the fact remains that alcohol & caffeine have those same affects and they don’t ban them. The length of time argument is a red herring, since there is nothing stopping somebody from showing up hung over the morning of their race. So my point remains - the hypocrisy of the rule is the problem.

I think most would agree that the rule has room for revisions, especially given the fact that marijuana is being legalized now. But no matter what rules are in place, its incumbent upon the athletes who want to participate to understand the rules and abide by them, no matter how antiquated or ridiculous they are.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I think most would agree that the rule has room for revisions, especially given the fact that marijuana is being legalized now. But no matter what rules are in place, its incumbent upon the athletes who want to participate to understand the rules and abide by them, no matter how antiquated or ridiculous they are.

Never said any differently.

 

[nkereina]

Never said any differently.

Never said you did

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I am very disappointed that she wasn't selected for the relay. My guess is that they selected English Gardner and Aleia Hobbs to cover their butts in case they need to fill a race before Sha'Carri's suspension is up.

I wouldn't take the risk of running her and getting a whole relay DQ'd.

Further edit:

I don't understand the Olympic rules enough to know if the IOC would accept the US's suspension or not. The relay was after the end of the suspension. Or is she would still test positive for trace amounts of THC at the games and they could DQ the the relay even though she had already been tested and punished for it.

No. She would not in fact be punished again for the same incident. She is in fact ineligible for the individual 100 but eligible by the time she would run the relay. However, the fear is what if she uses again? That's the risk I was referring to. I'd want to see more than a month clean before I'd run her in a relay is what I was saying.

 

[robinb]

I wouldn't take the risk of running her and getting a whole relay DQ'd.

I don't understand the Olympic rules enough to know if the IOC would accept the US's suspension or not. The relay was after the end of the suspension. Or is she would still test positive for trace amounts of THC at the games and they could DQ the the relay even though she had already been tested and punished for it.

 

[Suger Mag]

I don't understand the Olympic rules enough to know if the IOC would accept the US's suspension or not. The relay was after the end of the suspension. Or is she would still test positive for trace amounts of THC at the games and they could DQ the the relay even though she had already been tested and punished for it.

As much as I am pro marijuana and live in a legal state, I respect her suspension. It is not about legality or what pot is or isn't.. But the list of banned substances is huge and there are legal drugs that are regulated. At the end of the day she knew the rules and chose to take the risk and smoke anyways. With that judgement... I can understand that there be some worry that she might end up using again and that could DQ the relay

 

[monsterkitty]

I don't understand the Olympic rules enough to know if the IOC would accept the US's suspension or not. The relay was after the end of the suspension. Or is she would still test positive for trace amounts of THC at the games and they could DQ the the relay even though she had already been tested and punished for it.

She tested positive at the trials during a mandatory post-race drug test. The positive test nullified her win as she was DQed because of the positive drug test. Because of the DQ, she didn't win the race and she didn't qualify.

 

[robinb]

She tested positive at the trials during a mandatory post-race drug test. The positive test nullified her win as she was DQed because of the positive drug test. Because of the DQ, she didn't win the race and she didn't qualify.

As I understand it, they had two spots open for athletes that didn't qualify in an event ("pool selections"). Those spots were filled with the 6th and 7th finishers in the 100m dash instead of Sha'Carri. The USATF did say that because she DQ'd trials it wouldn't be fair to give her a place on the relay. I can respect that, but I am still disappointed.

 

[GreatLakes]

I think she was left off the squad for one of three reasons (or a combination of them):

• Worry that she would test positive again at the Olympics and DQ the entire team
• She can't practice while suspended and a relay team, especially the US that have dropped far too many, needs to practice hand offs
• The two additional picks were decided and informed before her suspension was announced and they don't want to revoke it after the fact.

It is also important to note that a substance being legal has no bearing on it being banned or not. There are plenty of substances any of us can take legally that would cause us to fail a drug test as an athlete.