Story at a glance
- The United States Anti-Doping Agency said in a letter Friday it cannot alter the rules set by the World Anti-Doping Agency leading to the suspension of American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson after she tested positive for marijuana following her Olympic trials victory.
- USADA, in its response to a letter from U.S. Reps. Jamie Raskin and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, wrote that the agency does not make the rules or have a vote in the matter.
- Raskin and Ocasio-Cortez called on the agency to overturn Richardson’s ban, writing that the suspension is the result of an “antiquated prohibition.”
The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said in a letter Friday it cannot alter the rules set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) leading to the suspension of American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson after she tested positive for marijuana following her Olympic trials victory.
USADA, in its response to a letter from U.S. Reps. Jamie Raskin and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, wrote that the agency does not make the rules or have a vote in the matter. Instead, it is required to enforce the regulations mandated by WADA.
The letter — signed by USADA CEO Travis Tygart — added the suspension levied toward Richardson was the minimum required and anything less would have been “considered being non-compliant with the WADA code” and could have led to “serious consequences to U.S. Athletes.”
Raskin and Ocasio-Cortez called on the agency to overturn Richardson’s ban, writing that the suspension is the result of an “antiquated prohibition”
“Anti-marijuana laws have a particularly ugly history of systemic racism. We call on [World Anti-Doping Agency] and USADA to reconsider restrictions on recreational marijuana use and any current suspensions that are in place on that basis,” the pair wrote.
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The agency told the representatives it is working to mitigate the “harsh consequences” of a positive marijuana test. Referencing a new law regarding marijuana use in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), USADA maintained it would not have punished Richardson if the infraction had fallen under its jurisdiction.
“Most governments in the world have been very reluctant to take marijuana off the prohibited list for public health reasons,” the USADA letter read. “It is worth noting that when marijuana was included in the first prohibited list in 2004, one of the strongest advocates for inclusion of marijuana on the prohibited list was the U.S. government.”
Richardson’s 100-meter victory at the June Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., was automatically nullified following her positive test. The 21-year-old was subsequently left off Team USA’s roster, as the organization granted spots to athletes whose positions were improved due to Richardson’s disqualification at the trials. Richardson’s suspension is set to expire just before the 4×100 relay scheduled for Aug. 5.
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The agency argued that it has gone to great lengths to ensure athletes know the rules given that it lacks the authority to unilaterally change them.
“To her credit, Ms. Richardson acknowledged that she knew the risk of using marijuana, and chose to use it anyway, before competing in the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials,” the letter read.
“USADA will continue to advocate for rule changes which would better address tragic situations like Ms. Richardson’s,” the letter concluded.
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