The fastest woman, Sha’Carri Richardson, is facing being ineligible for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics after she allegedly tested positive for marijuana during a routine drug test. As a result of the finding, Richardson’s US Olympic Trials performance in which she clocked a 100m run in 10.86 seconds was disqualified. Shortly after the news broke, Richardson posted a cryptic message on Twitter saying, “I am human.”
With the Tokyo Olympics set to kick off on July 23, Richardson, 21, could face a suspension from competing for a duration of three months to four years. The ban would be implemented by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of the International Olympic Committee, who considers marijuana a “Substance of Abuse,” despite it being legalized in several places.
There is a possibility that Richardson can still compete if she can prove that the use of marijuana did not benefit her performance and if she participates in an anti-doping treatment.
If Richardson does not compete at a part of Team USA, she will be replaced by fourth runner up Jenna Prandini, according to Jamaican publication The Gleaner. At the time of this article, Richardson’s agent, Renaldo Nehemiah, did not release a statement or answer inquiries from media.
