Sha'Carri Richardson, a Track Sensation, Tests Positive for Marijuana

[Demovictory9]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/01/sports/olympics/olympics-doping-marijuana-richardson.html

It was unclear whether the sprinter, who won the women’s 100-meter race at the U.S. Olympic trials, would be allowed to compete in the Tokyo Games.

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[FarPoint]

1. If it is against the rules...

then, she can not participate...it is that simple...Why would she risk her life long career on marijuana?

[Demovictory9]

2. it's sad. she was on top of the world

[Johnny2X2X]

20. It's great for the 4th place girl who will replace her on the team

There is no excuse, she knew the list of banned substances and did them anyway. There's a girl who wasn't going to make the team that will now who didn't knowingly break the rules.

[RANDYWILDMAN]

45. She was mourning the loss of her mother ! Show some sympathy

and weed takes down another person by not really doing any harm to anyone, again


I have found people who say things like ,Rules are rules or gotta follow the rules....frequently DON'T

[FreeState]

49. 100% this n/t

[Volaris]

3. Ya, rules are rules, banned is banned, no exceptions all that belong in the one hand...

In the other is the truth that weed isnt exactly 'performance-enhancing', is it?

[ProfessorGAC]

5. If She Loses...

...she won't care as much! Does that count as performance enhancing?

[nuxvomica]

9. There's some evidence it might be performance enhancing

But I don't think it's at the level of anabolic steroids or various stimulants. I suspect caffeine could be more performance enhancing.

[lagomorph777]

21. I'd like to see sports where all performance enhancements are welcomed.

Steroids, coke, Coke, mechanical implants, anything goes.

[Dr. Strange]

37. Here you go:

[lagomorph777]

50. Hahahaha!

That is sick!

[boston bean]

12. It may help with pain, which may have an impact performance??

[happy feet]

17. Please stop stretching and reaching. Only someone who has never smoked it would believe that it

enhances performance. I can go with "its against the rules", but not because it enhances performance.

[boston bean]

18. It was a question. Chill.

[treestar]

31. An argument that is should be taken off the list of

disqualifying things, but as long as it is on, the rules should apply.

[malaise]

4. She has been withdrawn from the Olympics

Heard that last night

[Baitball Blogger]

13. I'm crying. What a spark plug.

I can absolutely understand why someone with her high energy level needs something to relax. What a shame.

[malaise]

14. Looks like she's out although local news said she may be included for

the relays.

Folks here are way smarter than than - they know to stop smoking week six weeks before events

[RobinA]

23. Something Legal

maybe. This was an unforced error.

[SYFROYH]

6. The war on weed must end

[Sgent]

7. I mean

she knows she's going to be tested, and she knows its not allowed (this is not hidden in college sports), and she knows that supplements that she doesn't clear with the school dietitian / trainer are not supposed to be used.

This really, really sucks, but I hope she gets a handle on her issues, because using in the face of the Olympics means she has addiction issues.

[Treefrog]

16. YEs, kind of worrying. During my working life, I simply abstained from weed.

Not worth the hassle.

[fishwax]

42. I mean, people make mistakes, don't think they'll get caught, and/or value things differently

It doesn't necessarily mean addiction issues. It may, it may not. Her mother died the week before the trials, so she was dealing with a lot.

Pretty stupid mistake, I suppose, but then the rule itself is even stupider.

[Thtwudbeme]

8. This crap needs to stop. If she had a brownie in CA, or CO

or even a Delta 8 CBD gummie in NC- WHY would this matter?

I fail to see how marijuana can "enhance" an athletes performance, unless it's a Canadian Curling event.

[Treefrog]

19. Because it's against the rules.

I don’t remember any threads bemoaning Shelby Houlihan’s recent ouster for banned substances, and she claims to have not “intentionally” ingested it.

[fishwax]

43. Steroids are banned for a legitimate reason, because they provide a potentially unfair advantage

Last edited Sat Jul 3, 2021, 03:28 PM - Edit history (1)

That's not really the case with THC, so of course there is going to be more bemoaning an athlete ousted for it.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

10. What a shitty, outdated rule. Pot doesn't enhance performance.

[NurseJackie]

11. Well, that was a dumb thing for her to do.

Live and learn, I guess.

[AngryOldDem]

15. She broke established rules of the sport.

Personally, I don’t care that she used it. But she is part of an organization that — as of right now — bans it.

From her Today interview — which I admit was extremely difficult to follow — it sounds like she used weed to deal with the death of her biological mom. We all have our coping mechanisms, and I’m not passing judgment on her here, either. But some of those mechanisms may come with consequences that one must be willing to accept. I’m just amazed that she competed, knowing full well that THC was still in her system and that she would be tested afterward.

There will be other Olympics for her. She needs the time now to process what has gone on in her life, and she needs the time to heal.

[Mary in S. Carolina]

22. Oh Please - It is Pot

Rule are Rules Really???? This awesome and talented person has dreamed and trained her whole life. The crime does not fit the punishment. So every time you break a rule in your gated community, are get pulled over by a cop for speeding or take a pen from work and you are fined or fired for stealing......rules are rules. How about when you lie, steal or cheat on your spouse, according to the bible, you are going to hell....rules are rules.

[ruet]

24. Yes, Rules are Rules.

Yes, she is an awesome and talented person. She did train her whole life to participate in sporting events. Events governed by a private entity that creates and enforces the rules for said events. She failed to abide by those rules and the privilege to participate in an upcoming event was revoked. That's it. She didn't get arrested. She didn't get banned from the sport. She didn't incur the wrath of the Baby Jeebus. She'll be fine.

[Mary in S. Carolina]

25. Tom Brady Cheated and kept the Superbowl Win?

So white guy Tom Brady cheats in football and he gets to keep the win? How does that work? Please do not minimize a black athletes dream and hard work (she will be fine? You sound pleased)

[StarfishSaver]

26. Oh, please

OJ Simpson killed two people and got away with it. Does that mean that Donald Trump should get away with his crimes?

Of course not. Because one has no more to do with the other than. Sha'Carri getting suspended from Competition for 30 days for testing positive has to do with Tom Brady cheating in football.

Sha'Carri is not a victim of racial injustice. She's a strong, young Black woman who made a mistake, got caught, owned up to it and is graciously taking the penalty she agreed to when she signed up for this - and she will indeed be fine.

[sarisataka]

29. What about Shelby Houlihan?

Her ban is for four years so will keep her out of this Olympics and the next. Not many people are stepping up for her dream and hard work but she will be 35 before she has a chance to go to the Olympics.

[treestar]

32. Everything adverse that happens to a POC

is due to their skin color?

[Treefrog]

38. I don't see you getting all worked up about Shelby Houlihan?

Why not?

[StarfishSaver]

27. Thank you.

[Arazi]

28. She should go to court. Weed is legal in Oregon where she lives

There's no performance enhancement with weed.

The governing bodies are going to have to work this out as weed's status in many states is similar to caffeine (not banned)

[sarisataka]

30. Oregon law has no bearing

So it isn't a question of was Marijuana legal where she used it.. The violation is the rules governing international sports.

She can appeal but it is under the jurisdiction of the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. They are not very favorable towards Doping suspensions (which this would fall under) but have in a few cases ruled in favor of the athlete.

[Arazi]

34. I know all of that but she should sue to establish precedent here about legal weed

In her country.

And to force the governing body to put up or shut up (definitively) about what "performance enhancing" abilities one gains with weed.

This is an excellent case and I'd like to see her win it

[sarisataka]

36. Once again

Local law does not matter. If it did, Russia could simply declare anabolic steroids are legal and demand the competition ban on the whole country be lifted.

Performance enhancing is not the only criteria. Substances may also be banned if they put the health of the athlete or others at risk or if it violates the spirit of sport. At the moment THC is considered to violate all three categories. So even if it is agreed there is no performance benefits, it does not mean THC will be removed from the Prohibited List.

[Treefrog]

39. What other banned substances do you think should be allowed in the Olympics?

Curious.

[ChubbyStar]

48. Please stay on topic thanks! n/t

[Ms. Toad]

35. Oregon law isn't irrelevant -

It's the rules of the sport.

BUT marijuana is not legal anywhere in the US, local laws aside. It is a federal crime - period.

Whether the laws are wise are another question - but don't pretend that something which is a federal crime has the same legal status as caffeine.

[JanMichael]

33. What if it was Delta-8? Legal nationally since 2018 Farm Bill. nt

[Treefrog]

40. What if it was heroin, cocaine, Jack Daniels? It WASN'T.

I love this “what if” line of argument.

[JanMichael]

46. Delta 8 and Delta 9 both test for THC.

Delta 8 is legal throughout the United States. Except for moron States they're trying to make it illegal to save the regular marijuana growers.

Heroin and cocaine are not legal anywhere.

Jack Daniels is and certainly not performance enhancer. Your point is stupid.

Edit- she said it was marijuana not Delta 8. Doesn't make your point any less stupid. Cocaine and heroin are the same league.

[Pompoy]

41. Just an athlete who cares less about her sport than fans do

Fans don't like these kind of athletes, I was excited about her and looking forward to her chances at the Olympics against the Jamaican Fraser, but she let us down because she doesn't care enough.
Screwing this up over a joint? Come on, I can understand her grief but she could have gotten through it with some crying...

[fishwax]

44. I'm a fan, but this doesn't lessen my appreciation for the athlete at all

I wish she'd have the chance to run at the games. I think she would probably say that this was a very stupid mistake. But I think the rule is even stupider.

She smoked a joint or downed some edibles or gummies or whatever. Around the time her mother died. Then she went out and performed her job at a world-class level. I'm not going to judge her for that, no matter how many people were looking forward to watching her run on TV.

[ChubbyStar]

47. Oh, you know her personally? n/t

[Blue_true]

51. I heard that she may run relays. At least she will get a gold for that.

The sad thing is that with all the hanger-ons around her, she had no one to truly console her when a random reporter told her that her biological mother had just died. So she self-medicated by ingesting Pot.