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Usain Bolt was in support of the one-month suspension of Sha'Carri Richardson in 2021 when the sprinter tested positive for THC, the primary compound found in cannabis. She had also qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, but the positive doping test delayed her Olympic debut by three years.
Richardson, the collegiate record holder in the 100m, clocked 10.86s at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials to qualify for her debut Olympics. However, less than a week later, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced that the sprinter had tested positive for THC.
The 24-year-old accepted a one-month suspension and said she had taken the marijuana to cope with the death of her biological mother after a reporter had informed her of her demise a few days before trials. As Richardson was suspended from competing at the Tokyo Olympics, many prominent voices spoke in support of lifting the ban on the sprinter, arguing that cannabis wasn't a performance-enhancing drug with many states in the US already having legalized it at the time.
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However, the substance is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the fastest man in the world, Jamaica's Usain Bolt, abides by the rules. When asked about Richardson's case during an interview with Reuters in July 2021, the eight-time Olympic champion said that he always believed in the rules when it came to drugs.
"I've always explained to people that the rules are the rules. I've been saying this throughout my years, when it comes to drugs, I have nothing to say, but the rules are the rules. If they say you should do this and this is the rule, that is the rule," he said.
The 100m world record holder also hailed Sha'Carri Richardson as a 'talented athlete' and advised her to refocus and keep pushing on.
"Hopefully she can learn from this and just push on. I know she has gone through a lot, you understand, but I hope she can refocus and just push on and do her best because she looks like a really talented athlete," Usain Bolt added.
Richardson's struggle eventually earned her the honors at the 2023 World Championships as she clocked 10.65s to win the 100m world title. The 24-year-old sprinted to silver in the 100m and gold in the 4x100m at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"It was definitely nerve-shocking" - When Sha'Carri Richardson recalled hearing the news of her mother's death
Sha'Carri Richardson was raised by her grandmother Betty Harp and aunt Shay Richardson from her early childhood. She has rarely spoken about her biological parents publically and when an unknown reporter informed her of her mother's demise ahead of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, she was shocked.
“I was just thinking it would be a normal interview. But to hear that information coming from a complete stranger, it was definitely triggering, it was definitely nerve-shocking. I know I can’t hide myself, so … in some type of way, I was trying to hide my pain," Sha'Carri Richardson told Today in 2021.
The Olympic champion apologized to her family and fans, admitting she had done the wrong thing despite the ongoing debate around the legalization of marijuana.
