Sha’Carri Richardson! Remember that name. This young lady first burst on the scene in 2019 as a freshman sprinter at LSU, where she won the collegiate championship in the 100m in a time of 10.75 sec. That set a collegiate record, and U20 record, while being one of the ten fastest times in the history of the sport.
In mid-June, Sha’Carri started what was to be her natural progression in the sport of track & field by entering the Olympic Trials which had been delayed 1 year due to the pandemic. In what was somewhat expected, Sha’Carri wowed us all be outclassing the field in Eugene, OR that first week. She won the 100m in convincing fashion, and was considered a top contender for the title of “World’s Fastest Woman”.
But on June 28th, the unthinkable happened. Due to a failed drug test, Sha’Carri was stripped of her 100m title, thus making her ineligible for the Tokyo Olympics. So what did she test positive for? THC, a.k.a. Marijuana. Not steroids, HGH, or any other performance enhancing drug, but “WEED”!
Now rules are rules, and we all must follow them, but I must say, this one is archaic and definitely needs some revision. It’s 2021! There are 18 states + the District of Columbia that have legalized recreational cannabis usage. Not to mention those states which allow medicinal usage. It is CLEARLY not a performance enhancing drug, and even the addictiveness to the drug is questionable.
When you look at other professional sports such as the NBA and NFL that have relaxed their stances on marijuana, it makes perfect sense for USADA and USATF to do the same. With the increased push to decriminalize marijuana and make it legal across the country, and with this happening to one of our brightest young talents, now is as good a time as any to have this conversation. This may be on the extreme side, but an athlete could conceivably run drunk, and not receive any penalty. The only reason marijuana is still illegal, is because the government hasn’t come to an agreement on how to tax it. Cigarettes/tobacco, alcohol, both heavily taxed and potentially hazardous to your health with prolonged, excessive use, but marijuana is still a banned substance despite all of the actual health benefits it has for individuals with certain conditions.
C’mon people! I know it may not happen for these Olympic Games, but this rule has got to change. Not just for Sha’Carri, but for the betterment of the sport, and individuals around the globe who suffer from anxiety, depression, chronic pain, ptsd, and many other ailments/issues that marijuana can help with. But in the end I believe we want to see Sha’Carri in Tokyo. So to USADA, USATF, USOC, IAAF, and the IOC, #LetHerRun!!!
