• About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
The Wellesley News -
  • News and Features
    • The Wellesley (COVID) 100
      The Wellesley (COVID) 100
    • In memory of Professor Rebecca Summerhays
      In memory of Professor Rebecca Summerhays
    • Trans flag controversy: College power washes staircase after trans flag is painted over Harry Potter spray paint
      Trans flag controversy: College power washes staircase after trans flag is painted over Harry Potter spray paint
    • News
      • News in Brief
      • Nation & World
      • President’s Corner
      • Senate Report
    • Features
      • Alumnae Spotlight
      • Eye on Science
      • Faculty Focus
      • LGBTQIA+ Column
  • Opinions
    • The News in Conversation: Wellesley Against Mass Incarceration
      The News in Conversation: Wellesley Against Mass Incarceration
    • Editorial Board calls for keeping up trans flag murals
      Editorial Board calls for keeping up trans flag murals
    • No, Elon Musk’s Twitter will not restore free speech
      No, Elon Musk’s Twitter will not restore free speech
    • Staff Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
    • The Elephant in the Room
  • Arts
    • Be/longing Centers Connection and Care
      Be/longing Centers Connection and Care
    • No image
      Birds Falling Upwards: Wellesley College Theater’s The Moors is a Must-See
    • No image
      Sometimes you just need to read a YA “Groundhog Day” to feel something
    • Arts In The News
    • Reviews
    • Music Peek
    • Books Before Boys
  • Health and Wellness
    • February Student Athlete of the Month
      February Student Athlete of the Month
    • Athletics Update
      Athletics Update
    • Victoria Garrick Speaks on Mental Health
      Victoria Garrick Speaks on Mental Health
    • Athlete of the Week
    • Boston Sports Update
    • The Vegan Digest
    • The SHE Corner
  • The Wellesley Snooze
    • Wellesley News Leadership Changes Completely Peacefully Without Any Suspicious Disappearances At All
      Wellesley News Leadership Changes Completely Peacefully Without Any Suspicious Disappearances At All
    • Solve Your Connection Problems With Wellesley Insecure
      Solve Your Connection Problems With Wellesley Insecure
    • Mayhem strikes Wellesley as paper towels removed from campus
      Mayhem strikes Wellesley as paper towels removed from campus
  • Miscellanea
    • President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
      President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
    • Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
      Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
    • 50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
      50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
    • The Dose
    • The Olive Branch
    • Multimedia
      • Galleries
      • Infographics
      • Videos
By Deyra Aguilar Sports and WellnessOctober 29, 2021

Sha’Carri Richardson and the Double Standard for Black Athletes

Photo courtesy of Patrick Smith/Getty Images.

Earlier this year Sha’Carri Richardson, a Black track and field sprinter, took the sporting world by storm.As a freshman at Louisiana State University (LSU) who competes in the 100m and 200m respectively, she broke the 100m record running a 10.75-second race at the NCAA Championship and was later qualified to run the 100m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at the US Olympic Trials. Whether it be through her athletic ability or the buzz on social media, her name was gaining traction around the US. 

However, her Olympic dreams were shattered come July. Why? Richardson smoked weed. Or, as the Olympic Committee would state, “Ms. Richardson tested positive for THC, an intoxicant found in marijuana.” As marijuana is on the list of the Olympic Committee’s banned substances, Richardson was ineligible to compete at the Olympics and would continue athletic ineligibility for one month. 

This decision caused a great uproar from casual fans to members of the House of Representatives. Many argued that marijuana is legal in many states including Oregon, where the Olympic trials took place. Furthermore, marijuana is not a performance-enhancing drug but is still on the list of banned substances which include steroids and other opiates.

The Olympics drew more criticism when weeks later, US Women’s National Soccer Team member Megan Rapinoe appeared on Forbes advertising her sister’s CBD company, Mendi. CBD is another natural compound found in marijuana. It has been known to have anti-inflammatory properties and help relax the body, but no psychoactive properties. Other athletes like Devon Allen, Haylie McChesney and Sue Bird all appeared serving as ambassadors for the brand. Much of the public outcry is over the fact that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) allows athletes to use CBD but prohibits all other natural and synthetic cannabinoids. The WADA explained that to be on the list of banned substances it must meet two of the following:

  1. It has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance,
  2. It represents an actual or potential health risk to the athletes,
  3. It violates the spirit of sport.

It is unclear which two THC violates.

The conversation has now evolved into one of the double standards Black athletes face in athletic institutions. Why is it that a Black athlete is scrutinized for drug use when a white athlete can appear on Forbes advertising that very same drug? Across many sports, Black athletes are constantly being fined and regulated in regard to protests, dress codes or celebrations. Organizations such as the NBA, NHL and NFL have all greatly reduced the enforcement of marijuana laws, acknowledging that it does not enhance performance. While the Olympics are slow to change with the times, all we can hope for is continued advocating for marijuana use and that maybe one day Black athletes will no longer suffer penalizations. 

Richardson has been handling her suspension with grace. She appeared on The Today Show to speak about the incident, explaining that the passing of her biological mother and the emotional panic she suffered as a result played a role in her using marijuana instead. 

“I’m 21, I’m very young,” Richardson said. “I have plenty of games left in me to compete in and I have plenty of talent that backs me up, because everything I do comes from me naturally. No steroid, no anything.”

 

Share on

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Google +
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Previous articleDiet Culture and Its Erasure of Ethnic Food
Next articleOctober Student-Athlete of the Month

You may also like

February Student Athlete of the Month

Athletics Update

Victoria Garrick Speaks on Mental Health

1 Comment

  • John Smith says:
    November 26, 2021 at 1:07 PM

    CBD is legal and allowed by WADA, THC is not at the moment. Useless story

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

Top Articles

Sorry. No data so far.

Recent Tweets

Tweets by @Wellesley_News

The independent student newspaper of Wellesley College since 1901.

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

  • About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
COPYRIGHT © 2022 THE WELLESLEY NEWS
Back to top