US sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson fails dope test, could miss Tokyo Olympics
Jul 02, 2021
Indiana [USA], July 2 : Ace American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson has reportedly tested positive for the consumption of cannabis and can miss the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
This news has come just four weeks before the start of the Olympics in Tokyo. Richardson, 21, won the women's 100-meter race at the U.S. track and field trials in Oregon last month, but her positive test automatically invalidated her result in that marquee event as per New York Times.
The test was carried out at the US Olympic Trials. In a cryptic tweet earlier on Thursday, Richardson wrote: "I am human."
Richardson was expected to challenge for the 100m gold medal at the Games, after posting 10.72 seconds in April -- one of five legal sub-11 seconds clocking from the American this season.
Since January 1, 2021, the drug(cannabis and marijuana) has been classified as a 'Substance of Abuse' by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and currently carries a maximum four-year ban. However, if an athlete can prove that their ingestion of the substance was unrelated to sports performance then a suspension of three months rather than the usual four years is imposed.
Richardson was billed to run in the 200 meters at the Stockholm Diamond League meeting in Sweden this weekend but she was not on the entry list for the meet's official website on Thursday.
It is understood that the fourth-place finisher in the 100m at the USA Olympic Trials, Jenna Prandini will replace Richardson in the event at the Olympics.