Sha'Carri Richardson left out of US Track and Field official roster after positive cannabis test

Indianapolis, Indiana - US Track and Field has released the official roster for their runners who will compete in the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games, and it came as another blow to Sha'Carri Richardson, the athlete recently at the center of a controversy storm.

Sha'Carri Richardson had qualified for the Tokyo Olympics back in June, but was disqualified due to a recent positive drug test for cannabis.
Sha'Carri Richardson had qualified for the Tokyo Olympics back in June, but was disqualified due to a recent positive drug test for cannabis.  © IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

The 21-year-old will not compete at all in Tokyo after her name was omitted from the women’s relay roster.

Richardson was already set to miss the 100-meter individual sprint, due to testing positive test for cannabis, which got her a 30-day ban from any international competitions. This ruled her out for the 4x100- meter relay race on August 5.

Richardson won the 100-meter dash in the US Olympic qualifiers in Eugene, Oregon, on June 19, earning her an automatic spot on the team.

The USA Track and Field Organization (USATF) released an official statement claiming that officials were "incredibly sympathetic toward Sha'Carri Richardson's extenuating circumstances" but adding that they "must also maintain fairness for all of the athletes who attempted to realize their dreams by securing a place on the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team."

Richardson, on the other hand, seems to be taking the disappointment well and is instead looking ahead to future opportunities.

Despite Richardson being eligible to run in August, the USATF has in effect reached over her to pick the sixth and seventh-place finishers, English Gardner and Aleia Hobbs respectively, from their relay trials in Oregon.

Cover photo: IMAGO / Action Plus

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