American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson made no excuses after being suspended from Team USA over a positive drug test.
Richardson, 21, who won the 100-meter race in 10.86 seconds at the U.S. Olympic trials on June 19 in Eugene, Ore., tested positive for THC, the chemical in marijuana, at the trials. On Friday, she addressed the ban in a “Today” show interview.
“I know what I did. I know what I’m supposed to do … I still made that decision,” Richardson told Savannah Guthrie.
Her lawyer confirmed to NBC News that she has been suspended from the Olympic team.
“I want to take responsibility for my actions. I’m not looking for an excuse,” Richardson said.
On Friday, the sprinter accepted a one-month suspension as a result of her positive test. The ban, for “testing positive for a substance of abuse,” began on Monday.
“The rules are clear, but this is heartbreaking on many levels; hopefully, her acceptance of responsibility and apology will be an important example to us all that we can successfully overcome our regrettable decisions, despite the costly consequences of this one to her,” Travis T. Tygart, CEO of the United States Anit-Doping Agency (USADA) said.
The suspension ends July 27, which would be in time for Richardson to run in the women’s relays, which aren’t scheduled to begin until Aug. 5. USA Track and Field has not disclosed plans for the relay.
“Right now I’m just putting all of my energy into dealing with what I need to deal with to heal myself,” Richardson said on “Today.”
Richardson tested positive in Oregon, where recreational cannabis use and possession are legal. Marijuana, however, is considered a banned substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and USA Track and Field.
After the 2012 London Olympics, international regulators relaxed the threshold for what constitutes a positive test for marijuana from 15 nanograms per milliliter to 150 ng/m. They explained the new threshold was an attempt to ensure that in-competition use is detected and not use during the days and weeks before competition.
Though there have been wide-ranging debates about whether marijuana should be considered a performance-enhancing drug, USADA makes clear on its website that “all synthetic and naturally occurring cannabinoids are prohibited in-competition, except for cannabidiol (CBD),” a byproduct that is being explored for possible medical benefits.”
Richardson’s case is the latest in a number of doping-related embarrassments for U.S. track team. Among those banned for the Olympics are the reigning world champion at 100 meters, Christian Coleman, who is serving a suspension for missing tests, and the American record holder at 1,500 and 5,000 meters, Shelby Houlihan, who tested positive for a performance enhancer she blamed on tainted meat in a burrito.
Richardson rose to popularity after winning the women’s 100-meter race at the Olympic trials last month, which slated her as one of Team USA’s top gold medal contenders.
Her lengthy lashes, colorful hair and long, manicured nails were fan favorites — aside from her speed and viral victory, when she ran into the stands to hug her grandmother.
Richardson revealed in the NBC interview that her biological mother had died the week before her race.
During her interview on “Today,” she said she learned about her mother’s passing from a reporter — a moment she described as “shocking” and “triggering.”
Richardson confirmed she used the substance after being “blinded by emotion blinded by bad news, blinded by just hurting, hiding hurt honestly… I was just trying to hide my pain.
“I’m not making an excuse or looking for empathy in my case. However, being in that position in my life, finding out something like that … Dealing with the relationship I have with my mother, that definitely was a very heavy topic on me.”
— With AP
