U.S. Sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson Left Off Olympic Relay Team After Failed Weed Test

Sha'Carri Richardson's Olympic dreams are officially crushed following her failed drug test ... 'cause U.S. Track & Field officials left the fastest woman in America off the 4 x 100m squad.

... this despite the fact that her 30-day suspension will end BEFORE the relay race is scheduled to begin.

Of course, 21-year-old Richardson recently tested positive for marijuana after the Olympic Trials last month ... and accepted the 1-month ban.

Despite a ton of outrage (weed is still illegal?), USOC officials stood by the punishment.

But, not all hope was lost ... Sha'Carri was going to miss the 100-meter race, but still could've been included on the 4 x 100-meter relay team.

That is until today when track officials announced Richardson would be left off the team ... meaning she will NOT be running in a single race at the Tokyo games.

As for the test she flunked ... Richardson says she recently found out her biological mother died, and she used marijuana as a way to cope with the stress and pressure.

For what it's worth, use of recreational pot is legal in Oregon -- where the trials were run.

USATF released a statement on the decision Tuesday afternoon ... saying it's "incredibly sympathetic" towards Richardson's situation ... but it would be "detrimental to the integrity" of the organization to bend the rules a week before the Games.

"All USATF athletes are equally aware of and must adhere to the current anti-doping code, and our credibility as the National Governing Body would be lost if rules were only enforced under certain circumstances," the statement read.

USATF praised Richardson for owning up to her actions and agrees that the World Anti-Doping Agency's guidelines need a makeover ... but until then, athletes gotta play by the rules.