Sha'Carri Richardson has been suspended from competing in the Olympic 100-meter race after failing a drugs test.

Richardson, 21, secured her place at the Olympics after emerging victorious in the women’s 100-meter race last month, but her lawyer has now revealed that she's been suspended from the team after testing positive for THC - a chemical found in marijuana.

In an interview with NBC News, a U.S. Olympic source said that the 21-year-old failed a drugs test after winning the Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon, on June 19.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency reports that the 21-year-old is now banned from taking part in the 100-meter race, however, she could still potentially be allowed to compete in another Olympic event.

While marijuana is legal in Oregon, THC is banned from the competition.

"I want to take responsibility for my actions," she said on NBC's TODAY Show on Friday morning.

"I'm not looking for an excuse. Right now I’m just putting all of my energy into dealing with what I need to deal with to heal myself."

NBC News reports that it's not yet known if the Olympic hopeful will appeal the results of the drugs test.

The 21-year-old tweeted on Thursday: "I am human."

Richardson had caused many to hope that the US would receive its first gold medal in the women's race since Gail Devers in 1996 after she completed the 100-meter race in 10.86 seconds - which was one of five runs this season that she has made in less than 11 seconds.

She also caught the world's eye after completing a race and running into the arms of her grandmother, telling NBC in a post-race interview that she had received the news that her mother had died a week before the event.

She described the loss as "triggering" and "shocking."

But despite undergoing such a life-changing loss, she said that she knew she would "still have to go out and put out a performance."

"I know that I can't hide myself," Richardson said. "In some type of way, I was trying to hide my pain."

Vogue Magazine has described her as "the Flo-Jo of our time" because of her penchant for wearing long lashes, neon wigs, and bedazzled nails.

The AP has reported that the 21-year-old's sanction could be reduced from three months to one because she took part in a counseling program.

The threshold for what constitutes a positive test for marijuana was reduced in the wake of the London 2012 Olympics from 15 nanograms per milliliter to 150 ng/m. This was done to ensure that athletes are only punished for in-competition use and not what they chose to do in the months and weeks before events.

USATF put out a statement cited by the AP that said Richardson's "situation is incredibly unfortunate and devastating for everyone involved."

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said it is now "working with USATF to determine the appropriate next steps."

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A petition has been launched to reinstate Sha'Carri Richardson back into the Tokyo Olympics following her recent ban.

The appeal was spearheaded by a user named Isbah Raja on the website MoveOn.org after the 21-year-old relay runner suspended was banned from competing for the US athletics team after testing positive for THC.

As you can see in the image above, this petition has currently racked up approximately 530,100 signatures as of the time of writing.

In the petition's description, Raja called Richardson's month-long athletic suspension "excessively punitive," and went on to state that:

"In no world is marijuana a performance-enhancing drug for runners, and in more places in the United States and around the world, marijuana use is legal."

Raja continues: "The imposition of a penalty against a world-class Black, queer, woman athlete is powerfully and infuriatingly reminiscent of the way drug laws are regularly applied in the United States.

"Recreational marijuana use has been de facto legal for upper-middle-class white people for years - something more states are recognizing as they legalize marijuana for all people and consider how to repair the damage done to Black and brown communities by decades of the 'war on drugs.'"

The athlete, who qualified for the US team with a winning time of 10.86 seconds during the trials last month, has received support and backing from a number of celebrities, politicians, and members of the public.

These include Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, actor Seth Rogen, and now even President Joe Biden has commented on the ruling.

Richardson apologized for her drug use in the wake of her ban; explaining that she had been using cannabis as a coping mechanism following the recent death of her biological mother.

Speaking on NBC's Today show, Richardson stated: "I'm blessed to be alive. I'm responsible for my actions. I know what I did, I know what I'm supposed to do, what I'm allowed not to do, and I still made that decision."

She continued: "I'd like to say to my fans and my family and my sponsorship, I apologize, I'm disappointed. When I'm on the track I represent a great community that has shown me great support and love and I failed you all.

"I apologize for the fact that I didn't know how to control my emotions during that time. I'm human, we're human. I want to be as transparent as possible with you guys."

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Sha'Charri Richardson has spoken out about being suspended from the upcoming Olympic 100m race following a one-month ban after failing a drugs test.

The sprinter, 21, had been hopeful of a 100m gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, but her future at the event is now uncertain after she tested positive for THC - a chemical found in marijuana - and subsequently suspended by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

She is now serving a one-month ban from the sport for her actions, which means that she will be unable to compete in the women's 100m race, as per The Independent.

Now, Richardson has explained that she put her Olympic dreams in jeopardy after she decided to use the drug following her mother's death, telling NBC that she found out the heartbreaking news from a reporter - an experience she says sent her into "a state of emotional panic".

"I'm blessed to be alive. I'm responsible for my actions. I know what I did, I know what I'm supposed to do, what I'm allowed not to do, and I still made that decision," the sprint star told the Today show.

"I'm not making any excuse or looking for any empathy in my case, being in that position of my life, finding out something like that, something that I would say one of the biggest things that have impacted me positively and negatively in my life, dealing with the relationship I had with my mother."

She continued: "That was definitely a very heavy topic on me. To put on a face and go in front of the world, who am I to tell you how to cope when dealing with a pain and a struggle that you’ve never experienced before or thought you’d have to deal with. Who am I to tell you how to cope with it.

"Honestly, leading up to that with my mental health, leading up to the Games, definitely expected to be a record-breaking time or something like that, that pressure in itself.

"The information came from a complete stranger, it was definitely triggering. That sent me into a state of emotional panic. Even though I'm still here I still have to go out and compete. It was definitely triggering, blinded by emotion, blinded by sadness and hurt. I can't hide myself."

While the 21-year-old cannot compete in the women's 100m, however, it is still entirely possible that she could represent the US in the 4x100m relay, at which time her ban will have expired.

The Independent reports that she has the second-fastest time in the world for running 100m - 10.72 seconds - and she is hoping that she will be given permission to run by USA Track & Field.

"Right now I'm putting all of my time and energy to deal with what I need to do, which is heal myself. If I receive that blessing, I’m grateful, but if not I'll focus on myself," Richardson added.

"I'd like to say to my fans and my family and my sponsorship, I apologize, I'm disappointed. When I'm on the track I represent a great community that has shown me great support and love and I failed you all. I apologize for the fact that I didn't know how to control my emotions during that time. I'm human, we're human. I want to be as transparent as possible with you guys."

"I say, don't judge me, I'm human like you, I just happen to run a little faster. This will be the last time that the US doesn’t come home with the gold in the 100m.

"This is just one Games. I'm 21, I'm very young, unlike most I have plenty of Games in me to compete in. I have plenty of talent to back me up, everything I do comes naturally, no steroid, no anything, this incident was about marijuana.

"After my sanction, I'll be able to compete, every single time I step onto the track I'll be ready for whatever anti-doping agency to come and get what it is that they need, as this will never happen again."

Featured image credit: Alamy / Action Plus Sports Images

Sha'Carri Richardson says she's "glad" she's not one of the "perfect people" after her suspension from the 100m race at the Olympics.

On June 28, the 21-year-old athlete - widely dubbed "America's fastest woman" - was handed a one-month suspension after testing positive for THC - a chemical found in marijuana. This essentially means she is barred from competing in the women's 100m race in the Tokyo Olympics.

Much has been said about the decision, which has garnered both critics and those in support of it.

Over the weekend, Richardson herself reflected on the ban as she tweeted to her half a million followers: "All these perfect people that know how to live life, I’m glad I’m not one of them!"

She also made sure to thank her many supporters, writing: "The support my community I thank y’all , the negative forget y’all and enjoy the games because we all know it won’t be the same."

The Olympic hopeful concluded: "I’m sorry, I can’t be y’all Olympic Champ this year but I promise I’ll be your World Champ next year."

Ahead of her TODAY interview on her suspension, she reminded her fans in a tweet: "I am human".

In the interview, Richardson explained that she had taken marijuana after learning from a reporter that her biological mom had suddenly passed away. She told the outlet that the tragic news had been "nerve-shocking" for her.

She added: "I know what I did. I know what I'm supposed to do and what I'm allowed not to do, and I still made that decision. But I'm not making an excuse or looking for any empathy in my case.

"To put on a face, to have to go in front of the world and put on a face and hide my pain, I don't know ... Who am I to tell you how to cope when you're dealing with pain? Or you're dealing with a struggle that you've never experienced before? Or that you never thought you'd have to deal with?"

While Richardson is barred from the 100m race, she could still compete in the 4x100m relay as the suspension will have expired by then.

Recreational marijuana is legal in Eugene, Oregon, where she is believed to have used the drug, but there are strict anti-doping policies in place at the worldwide sporting event - which includes cannabis on its list of prohibited substances.

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has rejected Sha'Carri Richardson's accusations of double standards.

The American sprinter was banned from competing in the Tokyo Olympics last summer after she tested positive for marijuana.

Now, the star athlete has called out the IOC on social media, after Russian teenager Kamila Valieva was permitted to continue competing in the Winter Games despite failing a drug test at Christmas.

Richardson - who was a top contender in the women's 100m - took to Twitter last week to compare her situation to Valieva's. The 15-year-old figure skater tested positive for trimetazidine on Christmas day, but her test result only surfaced after she had begun competing in the Beijing Winter Games.

Despite her failed drug test, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) ruled that Valieva - who is the star of the Russian women's figure skating team - could continue to compete.

Richardson took to Twitter in protest, writing: "Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mine? My mother died and I can’t run and was also favored to place top 3. The only difference I see is I’m a black young lady. It’s all in the skin."

Now, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams has responded to Richardson's accusation, claiming that her case and Valieva's have "nothing in common", per Independent.

"You can’t talk about double standards in relation to Russian and American athletes, each case is individual," Adams said. "Richardson’s positive doping test was discovered on 19 June, and the result was received before the start of the Olympics."

"She was suspended for a month. There is nothing in common between these two cases," he added.

He went on to express concern for Valieva, saying: "This Games, which has not concluded, concerns an issue in December. She is in the center of a lot of speculation. It must be very tough for her."

"We of course are in touch with the team, her welfare is the team’s first priority, and obviously we are very careful of that but there’s only so much that we can do," Adams added.

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