American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson broke onto the scene at the U.S. Olympic trails last month, winning the 100-meter dash. But she likely won’t be allowed to compete at the Tokyo Games this month because she tested positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana.
Richardson took responsibility for her actions in an appearance on NBC’s “Today” show on Friday. She said she consumed marijuana after learning of her biological mother’s death. In recent days, though, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s decision to discipline Richardson has come under fire, with Richardson receiving ample support from fellow athletes, including Patrick Mahomes, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe.
President Biden joined the chorus of those discussing the one-month suspension Richardson received — which likely means she’ll miss the Olympics. When asked by CBS while Biden was at an event in Michigan, the president said he was proud of how Richardson responded to the suspension but noted that “rules are the rules.”
“The rules are the rules, and everybody knows what the rules were going in,” Biden said. “Whether they should remain the rules is a different issue, but the rules are rules. And I was really proud of the way she responded.”
White House press secretary Jen Psaki had already answered a question regarding Richardson during a briefing Friday, noting that the U.S. government and USADA are independent. Psaki also called the 21-year-old Richardson “inspiring.”
New: I asked @POTUS if he thought @itskerrii’s suspension was fair?
— Bo Erickson CBS (@BoKnowsNews) July 3, 2021
Biden said the “rules are the rules” but questioned if they should remain that way.
“I was really proud of the way she responded,” he adds. pic.twitter.com/3HNIzTbeCw
“I would say first that this was an independent decision made by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, and not a decision that would be made by the U.S. government, as is appropriate,” Psaki said. “We will certainly leave them the space and room to make their decisions about anti-doping policies that need to be implemented.
“I will also note that Sha’Carri Richardson is an inspiring young woman who has gone through a lot personally, and she also happens to be one of the fastest women in the world, and that’s an important part of this story as well.”
Two Democratic lawmakers, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland wrote a letter to the USADA and World Anti-Doping Agency on Friday asking that Richardson’s suspension be overturned.
Ocasio-Cortez’s and Raskin’s letter said the suspension was based on the “USADA’s antiquated prohibition on the use of cannabis products,” and it notes that the “ban on marijuana is a significant and unnecessary burden on athletes’ civil liberties.”
Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter pointing out that marijuana is legal in Oregon, the state in which Richardson used the drug. And the letter mentioned how the NFL, NHL and MLB have removed penalties for marijuana use in recent years because it’s not a performance-enhancing drug.
We worked with @RepRaskin and the Subcommittee on Civil Rights & Civil Liberties to formally ask @USAntiDoping to end Sha’Carri Richardson’s suspension.
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) July 3, 2021
Their decision lacks any scientific basis. It’s rooted solely in the systemic racism that’s long driven anti-marijuana laws. pic.twitter.com/F28c5ScI1D
Still, Richardson accepted the suspension during her interview on the “Today” Show.
“I know what I did, I know what I’m supposed to do … and I still made that decision,” Richardson said. “I’m not making an excuse or looking for any empathy in my case.”
• Andy Kostka can be reached at akostka@washingtontimes.com.
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