Sha’Carri Richardson Won’t Compete in Olympics After Being Left Off Relays
Track and field star Sha’Carri Richardson was not selected for the women’s 4×100-meter relay race, eliminating the American sprinter from competing in the Tokyo Olympics altogether, as The New York Times reports. The news announced by American track officials on Tuesday comes after Richardson lost her spot to compete in the 100 meters after testing positive for marijuana.
The 21-year-old sprinter, who won the women’s 100-meter race at the U.S. track and field trials in Oregon last month, accepted a one-month suspension after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency announced the positive test result, and her victory in the trials was invalidated as a result.
While rules require that an athlete must finish in the Top Three in the trials meet and have met the Olympic standard to make the U.S. team, track officials are allowed to pick athletes outside of those requirements. The relay takes place after Richardson’s suspension, so officials had the option to place her on the team.
However, members of the relay team had already been chosen prior to Richardson’s positive test being made public. After she was disqualified, the coaches picked the next six finishers in the 100-meter race to complete the squad.