Sha'Carri Richardson, who was banned from the Olympic 100m race, has taken to Twitter to ask if she was "missed" after the relay team was temporarily disqualified.
Last month, the 21-year-old athlete won the US Olympic Track and Field Trials, which would have qualified her for a spot on the team.
However, she was then dropped from the team earlier this month after testing positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana.
Richardson has now seemingly commented on her own absence from the Olympic Games, and her remark has received a mixed response.
On Friday, July 30, Richardson tweeted the following message to her 504,000 followers: "Missing me yet?"
While she didn't give much away in the tweet, the timing of the message indicates that she was referring to an incident that saw the mixed relay team temporarily disqualified earlier that day.
Per the Washington Post, the US relay team, made up of Irby, Elijah Goodwin, Bryce Deadmon, and Taylor Manson, had been disqualified over a faulty hand-off.
According to the outlet, a race official had placed one of the runners, Lynna Irby, in the wrong position.
When Goodwin had passed the baton to Irby, judges in the competition decided that her position was too far up the track after the handoff was completed, and then penalized the whole team by disqualifying them.
When Richardson sent her tweet, the team was still disqualified, however, they successfully appealed the judges' decision, arguing that Irby had been positioned by the race official. Following the appeal, the team was reinstated and ultimately won their heat.
Some felt Richardson's tweet, in light of her absence, was petty, with one Twitter user writing: "Not you hating from outside the club sis. We trying to support you but this is giving out very much bitter and going out sad vibes."
Another wrote: "I’m on your side, but take a page from @Simone_Biles and just cheer them on. Yes I’m aware it’s not the same situation however, a more positive attitude will keep us all from spiraling into something we can regret tomorrow. Much love to you!!"
However, others continued to applaud the athlete, with one writing: "We do! You should be in Japan! I am sorry we have such stupid, outdated rules."
Another wrote: "Sha’Carri Richardson is a national treasure."
