American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson could well miss out on the opportunity to compete at the Rio Olympics after reports emerged that the 21-year-old has allegedly failing a drug test.
According to Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Richardson’s US Olympic Trials performance was disqualified and faces a 30-day suspension because she tested positive for a prohibited substance.
It is being reported that that she tested positive for marijuana.
After running a 10.86 final at the US Olympic Trials in late June, Richardson qualified for the 2020 games in the 100-meter dash. Last April, the 21-year-old from Dallas, Texas, established a personal best of 10.72 to become the sixth-fastest 100-meter runner in history.
Since the news of her suspension came out, the American Richardson wrote “I am human" in a cryptic tweet.
I am human— Sha’Carri Richardson (@itskerrii) July 1, 2021
According to Reuters, She will not compete at the Diamond League in Stockholm on Sunday, where she had been expected to run in the 200m, according to the event’s entry list.
Richardson, 21, is the U.S. women’s 100m champion and is expected to be a big draw at this summer’s Tokyo Olympics. She was tipped to become the first American woman to win the Olympic 100m title since Gail Devers in 1996.
It is not clear why Richardson is not competing. Her manager did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Reuters reported.
Andre Lowe of Jamaica Gleaner reported “traces of the substance" were found in Richardson’s sample collected at the Olympic Trials, yet that doesn’t mean an automatic suspension is looming.
The concerned drug, cannabis, has been categorised as a ‘Substance of Abuse’ by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since January 1, 2021, and a maximum four-year ban is currently in place.
If an athlete can show that the substance was used outside of competition and had no effect on sports performance, the suspension will be reduced to three months with no need to look into the degree of guilt.
According to Jamaica Gleaner Jenna Prandini, who finished fourth in the 100m at the USA Olympic Trials, will replace Richardson in the race at the Olympics, while Gabby Thomas, who finished fifth, has also been entered.
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