US sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson's Olympic career has suddenly become uncertain after she tested positive for THC in a pre-qualifying drug test.
The 21-year-old athlete, who finished her 100 meter sprint with a time of 10.86 seconds, may not get to compete in the Olympic games in Tokyo, effectively taking away the United States' chances for a gold medal in the competition.
Richardson went live to say she'd been using THC in order to cope with the trauma of her biological mother's death.
The drug tests, which are normally administered to make sure athletes are not taking any sort of hormones or steroids that would give them an unfair advantage, are being criticized across the board by athletes and fans alike, as THC has actually become legal to varying degrees across the world.
Not only that, but a ban on natural-hair swim caps for black swimmers has called the racism of the Olympics into question, and whether or not the decision to ban Richardson is racist.
As the ban currently stands, Richardson could be banned from 1-3 months. Anything longer than a 1 month ban would remove her from the Olympics entirely, but with a 1-month ban, she could still compete in the 4x100 relays with her team.
But the Olympics has shown a penchant for mercilessness within the past 24 hours, with news continuing to come out about its treatment of black women.
Brianna McNeal was suspended for five years and stripped of her medals after it was revealed that she used THC as well to cope with the trauma of an abortion.
The Olympics should take a long, hard look at the message it is sending to black women around the world and decide where its priorities lie.
Because the message right now is crystal clear: if you're a black woman, you are being kept from competing in the Olympics by some excuse or another.
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