IOC dismisses sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson's allegations of racist double standards
Sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson on Monday, February 14, had questioned why the Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was being allowed to compete in the ongoing Winter Olympics at Beijing amidst doping charges while she was banned from the Tokyo Games after she tested positive for marijuana. Richardson accused the International Olympic Committee of racist double standards, citing the disparity in how both cases were handled. In response, IOC has denied the allegation and rejected Richardson’s claims of IOC's double standards against Black athletes.
The 21-year-old sprinter was expected to be one of the star attractions at the Tokyo Summer Games after she won the 100 meters race at the US trials. However, she was barred from competing due to a 1-month suspension after testing positive for cannabis. Richardson said her actions were the direct result of her grief when she was mourning the death of her mother. “Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mine? My mother died and I can't run and was also favored to place top 3. The only difference I see is I'm a Black young lady.” she said.
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Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mines? My mother died and I can’t run and was also favored to place top 3. The only difference I see is I’m a black young lady. https://t.co/JtUfmp3F8L
— Sha’Carri Richardson (@itskerrii) February 14, 2022
On Wednesday, an IOC spokesman responded saying, “You can't talk about double standards in relation to Russian and American athletes, each case is individual. Richardson's positive doping test was discovered on 19 June, and the result was received before the start of the Olympics. She was suspended for a month. There is nothing in common between these two cases.”
IOC rejected her allegation explaining that 15-year-old Kamila Valieva is a minor and the same rule doesn’t apply to minors. The spokesman added that there will be an “asterisk” next to Valieva's name if she wins on Thursday, as her hearing is pending and it is yet to be determined if she is innocent or guilty of doping.
Valieva tested positive for angina drug trimetazidine ahead of the Winter Olympics but has been allowed to compete pending an investigation and ruling on her case. However, Richardson went on to question how Valieva's positive result had only come to light during the Games even though she had her anti-doping test in December. She also advocated for her own case, pointing out that cannabis isn’t even a performance-enhancing drug.
'It's all in the skin,' Richardson tweeted on Monday morning. 'Btw THC is definitely not a performance enhancer!!!! Failed in December and the world just now know however my result was posted within a week and my talent & name slaughtered to the people. Not one BLACK athlete has been about to compete with a case going on, I don't care what they say!!!” she wrote.