Texas: American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson’s Tokyo Olympics participation could be in jeopardy after she reportedly tested positive for marijuana, Jamaica’s Gleaner newspaper reported on Thursday night.
According to reports, Richardson had tested positive for an unspecified prohibited substance, the sample of which was taken during the US Track and Field Olympic Trials last month. She qualified for the Tokyo Olympics after winning the women’s 100m in 10.86s in the US Olympic Trials.
One of the best hopes for the US in the track and field events, Richarson could be suspended for a month to three for the adverse analytical finding. If found guilty, it would nullify all of Richardson’s results from the meet, including her victory in the 100m final.
If Richardson is disqualified, Jenna Prandini, who finished fourth in the 100m final during the trials, will be taking her place as one of the three American women competing in the Olympics.
Neither Richardson nor her agent, Renaldo Nehemiah, is yet to comment publicly on the test. However, she abruptly withdrew from the Diamond League in Stockholm on Thursday, where she was scheduled to compete in the 200m on Sunday.
However she wrote in a cryptic tweet earlier in the day, “I am human.”
According to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, marijuana is a prohibited substance in competitions. According to the Times, a positive marijuana test can result in a suspension of up to two years, but the minimum length is one month if the athlete proves the drug was not taken during competition and willing to participate in a substance abuse treatment program.
The Tokyo Olympics is set to begin on July 23. The first round of the women’s 100m will take place on July 30. Richardson, like any other sports body, could file an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if she felt her punishment was too lenient.
