Sha'Carri Richardson Explains She Turned to Marijuana After Mom's Death
Track Star Sha'Carri Richardson I knew I Was Wrong to Use Weed ... But I Had Just Been Emotionally Traumatized
Track star Sha'Carri Richardson took responsibility for taking to weed which is a violation of Olympic rules, but goes on to say she did it after suffering emotional trauma.
Sha'Carri appeared on "Today" Friday and said squarely, "I want to take responsibility for my actions, I know what I did. I know what I'm supposed to do, [what] I'm allowed not to do and I still made that decision."
She then asked for a little understanding ..."Don't judge me because I am human."
Richardson came in first in the 100-meter race last month at the U.S. Track and Field Trials, but she later tested positive for marijuana and was stripped of her win and it's now unclear if she'll be barred from participating in the Tokyo Olympics. She was a favorite to win, which would be the first U.S. gold medal for the event since 1996.
As for why she crossed the line and used weed, she explained the day she did a reporter came up just before the trials and told her her mom had died.
A reporter had told her her biological mother had died right before the trials.
Richardson received a one month suspension from USADA, so she won't be allowed to run in the Olympic 100-meter race, but there's no decision yet on whether she'll be allowed to participate in Tokyo on a relay team. The U.S.A. Track and Field officials called this "incredibly unfortunate and devastating for everyone involved." It seems the org has sympathy ... now let's see what they do.
