Sha'Carri Richardson Will Not Be Competing in the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympic Games

Track and field superstar Sha'Carri Richardson will not debut as an Olympic athlete this year.

On Tuesday, USA Track & Field released the official U.S. Olympic Team roster for this year's Tokyo Summer Olympic Games. Richardson's name was not included on the list for the 4x100 relay, the only race in which she could have been eligible to compete since testing positive for THC, a chemical compound contained in marijuana.

Richardson broke records last month with her 10.86-second time in the women's 100-meter race at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Oregon, marking her the fastest living track and field female athlete in America. Though due to her failed drug test administered by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, she was placed on a monthlong provisional suspension from competition valid as of June 28, officially risking the nullification of her Olympic-qualifying stats from the Oregon trials, as well as those of any subsequent races in Tokyo, should she have been officially named on the roster.

Last Friday, Richardson shared with NBC's Today show that while she understood the protocols of the competition, she was also mourning the death of her mother—whose passing occurred shortly prior to her record-breaking race—and struggled for ways to cope. "It sent me into a state of emotional panic," she said. "I didn't know how to control my emotions or deal with my emotions during that time."

On Tuesday, USATF released an official statement confirming her suspension from the Olympic team, explaining its justification behind the decision. "First and foremost, we are incredibly sympathetic toward Sha'Carri Richardson's extenuating circumstances and strongly applaud her accountability—and will offer her our continued support both on and off the track," the statement began. "While USATF fully agrees that the merit of the World Anti-Doping Agency rules related to THC should be reevaluated, it would be detrimental to the integrity of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Track & Field if USATF amended its policies following competition, only weeks before the Olympic 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 continued, "So while our heartfelt understanding lies with Sha'Carri, we 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."

Following the news of her suspension, Richardson took to Twitter to leave followers and supporters with an uplifting, hopeful message. "I'm sorry, I can't be y'all Olympic Champ this year but I promise I'll be your World Champ next year," she wrote.

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