Sha’Carri Richardson was the hot topic of discussion as fans protested against and harshly rebuked the one-month suspension handed to her ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. The athlete tested positive for Marijuana and was, by rule, given a punishment for it by the USA Anti-Doping Agency.

The suspension meant that she would miss out on the 100m sprint event, which she had qualified for at the Olympic Trials in the USA. She was actually the favorite to win it for the country and had a lot of hopes resting on her shoulders. 

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the end of the woes for her. The USA Track and Field authorities released the list of athletes that would be heading to Tokyo and Sha’Carri Richardson was not among the names listed. This meant that she is out of the Olympics indefinitely.

Although Richardson could not take part in the 100m sprint event due to her suspension, she would have been able to return in time for the 4x100m relay event for which she had also qualified. However, USATF and USOPC had that decision on their hands, and it seems that have moved against her. 

Sha’Carri Richardson has been supported by fans and other athletes

Richardson’s absence from the Olympics dealt a major blow to the USA’s hopes in the women’s 100m sprint. Bearing an energetic resemblance to FloJo, Sha’Carri Richardson was touted by many as the next version of the legendary runner. 

Athletes and fans alike have tweeted their disapproval of the decision and continue to question Marijuana’s position in the world of athletics. Can it be considered a performance-enhancing drug? Such are some of the many controversies the USADA has to answer in the coming months.

Read more: Does Running Shoe Technology Play a Huge Role in the Outcome of Olympic Races?

The major attention directed to Track and Field is not only because of Sha’Carri Richardson, but also Brianna McNeal. The 100m hurdles favorite was all set to bag a medal at the Tokyo Olympics before receiving word that she had been handed a five-year ban as a consequence of missing a doping test in January 2020.

Sha’Carri Richardson and her continue to criticize their extreme bans and the fans have supported them throughout. Even though Richardson won’t get to run this time, she will surely be back looking for more and may just become FloJo everyone needs.