Track-and-field star Sha'Carri Richardson has been suspended for one month from the U.S. Olympic team after testing positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana, CNN.com reported.
Richardson appeared on NBC's Today show on June 2 and said: "I just want to take responsibility for my actions, I know what I did, I know what I'm supposed to do, I'm allowed not to do and I still made that decision. I'm not making an excuse or looking for any empathy in my case."
The official US Anti-Doping Agency statement read, "Richardson's competitive results obtained on June 19, 2021, including her Olympic qualifying results at the Team Trials, have been disqualified, and she forfeits any medals, points, and prizes. Beyond the one-month sanction, athlete eligibility for the Tokyo Games is determined by the USOPC and/or USA Track & Field eligibility rules."
After booking her spot at the Tokyo Olympics with a runaway victory in the women's 100-meter race at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon last month, Richardson also made headlines (mainly in LGBTQ+ media) for thanking her girlfriend.
The Tokyo Olympics are slated to take place July 23-Aug. 8.