Sign my petition to keep Sha’Carri Richardson in the women’s 100 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

You know what you do when there is a dumb rule? You change the rule. You don't ignore the rule. Loads of people have been DQ'd at various levels for dumb reasons: uniform violations, academic ineligibility, registration/paperwork issues, etc. It sucks, but that's how functioning societies work best. Everyone operates under the same laws/rules and society improves/changes bad rules.

I'd love to see her compete, but it's an incredibly clear rule and very simple to follow. So I don't feel bad for her colossal stupidity.

I do wonder what the reaction would be if an archer or some other random athlete missed out on the Olympics due to a positive marijuana test?

Weed is not a narcotic.

Done signed. Thx for starting this up Rojo. Kudos.

CrispyChicken wrote:

She knew the rules, she made the choice to break them. She's out. No way will I sign your bleeding heart petition. There are far too many cases of Rules for Thee, not for Me.

+1

didn't sign.

I thought about it.

It's absolutely ridiculous that weed is on the banned list. WADA has no place in an athlete's personal life. They should just test to see if an athlete is cheating or not. Drug testing is already absurdly invasive. Gender testing is absurdly invasive. Let athletes smoke some weed to chill out for god sakes.

It sucks that that is the rule. It sucks that Sha'Carri Richardson is being banned because of this ridiculous archaic rule. It's crazy and heartbreaking. I hate it. I want to see her in the Olympics. I am a huge fan of hers. I still am.

But it's rule. And she knew it was a rule. And other athletes knew it was a rule. Other athletes who probably wanted to smoke some weed now and then, and chose not to because...it was a rule.

The rule needs to be changed and now. No more shaking down athletes for weed, it's not WADA's place. But Sha'Carri can't break a rule she knew existed and get away with it. She even acknowledged that. That's why I respect her even more now.

The only thing worse than this absurd ban is removing consequences for one athlete based on a rule everyone knew existed. Then it becomes a circus. This isn't the same thing, but trying to find loopholes to get Sha'Carri back into the games does remind me of the time Shelby appeared on the start sheets at the trials. I was on Shelby's side--until she pulled that crap and turned it into a clown show.

I will absolutely not be signing the petition! She broke the rules, end of story. She even openly admitted that she knew exactly what she was doing was wrong and against the rules, but didn't care about the possible consequences.

If anything, you should be starting a petition to change the rules...not make an exception for someone who openly ignores, and breaks them.

Ummm...No! wrote:

I will absolutely not be signing the petition! She broke the rules, end of story. She even openly admitted that she knew exactly what she was doing was wrong and against the rules, but didn't care about the possible consequences.

If anything, you should be starting a petition to change the rules...not make an exception for someone who openly ignores, and breaks them.

Can somebody answer these two straightforward questions:

1) Is testing for drugs of “abuse” (in this case THC) part of the standard WADA/USADA testing panel every time a test is sent? All other athletes at the trials were tested for THC?

2) According to existing USATF rules, can an athlete be named to the relay pool if they did not compete at the trials or were DQ’d. If Sha’Carri had been DQ’d for a false start in the 100, can she be placed on the Tokyo 4x100 team?

Wise Old Man wrote:

Can somebody answer these two straightforward questions:

1) Is testing for drugs of “abuse” (in this case THC) part of the standard WADA/USADA testing panel every time a test is sent? All other athletes at the trials were tested for THC?

2) According to existing USATF rules, can an athlete be named to the relay pool if they did not compete at the trials or were DQ’d. If Sha’Carri had been DQ’d for a false start in the 100, can she be placed on the Tokyo 4x100 team?

1) No idea.

2) This is from the 2020 USATF Olympic Games Selection Procedures. It doesn't say anything about requirements for the additional two athletes. Remember when they selected FloJo to run the 4x400 in Seoul? I can't imagine she had run many 400s in her entire career but was selected for the relay.

"Relay Selection Criteria

For the men’s and women’s 4x100 meter and 4x400 meter relays, up to six (6) athletes may be entered as members of each relay pool. The four (4) athletes (including the alternate) entered in the respective individual events (100m and 400m) are required by World Athletics (IAAF) rules to be included in each pool. For each relay pool, in addition to the four (4) athletes listed above, there will be two (2) athletes selected. Selection of the two (2) additional athletes will be made by the USATF Head Relay Coach, in consultation and cooperation with the respective 2020 Olympic Games Head Coach or his/her designee, USATF’s Chief of Sport Performance, USATF High Performance Division Chair and one non-competing athlete selected by USATF’s Athletes Advisory Committee who has World Championship and/or Olympic experience in the 4x100m or 4x400m relays."

I am Sam wrote:

Blowing Rock Master wrote:

Exactly! That's why slavery, killing Indians, and gassing millions of Jews was all OK. It was the law!

Yeah...its clearly the same injustice, douchebag

Yep...that was a lame comment. People like to throw out clear injustices like that to rationalize ANY crime. This is pretty simple...marijuana is on the banned list. She knew it was on the banned list. She did it anyway. Valid arguments to be made that it should be removed from the banned list, but if it isn't or a very valid argument is made that allows her to be on the team (I'll decide if it's valid or not), then she's out. Her fault. There ARE consequences for breaking the law.

Rojo, while we're/you're at it can we get Dieter Baumann included on the petition?, after all, he got pinged just for using toothpaste.

And just like Richardson there was nothing nefarious or cheating involved or intended.

JBaller33 wrote:

Why? She broke the rules that were established entering the competition. It’s not fair to the other athletes that followed the rules. She will face a 30-day ban retroactive to the time of the test and will be ineligible to compete as an individual in the 100 meters at the Olympics, but will be eligible for the 4 x 100. Hopefully, she learns her lesson about following the rules, wins gold in the 4 x 100, and then gold in the 100 in 2024.

not fair to the other athletes? The other athletes don’t care. They may be more sympathetic. Its weed. She ain’t beating them because of it. Grow up

rojo wrote:

1) She’s clearly the best 100 runner in the US.

2) Marijuana isn’t a performance enhancer in track and shouldn’t be on the banned list.

3) The only way I can see her keeping her spot is if all of the US100 runners with the standard turn down the spot if offered it by USATF. Then USATF will have to nominate her.

Please spread the word.

http://chng.it/t6KMB27ph4

PS. I don’t want to get into any marijuana debates. Yes, it was foolish for her not to abstain right before the Olympics but it’s also foolish for those in charge to even be bothering to test for it.

What the hell are you on about, that’s two drugs cheats you want to see compete. Are we sure they US is not running a state sponsored drugs program?

Clearly Rojo you were doping when you use to compete. She we using because she mistakenly took it or was intentionally took it, and if intentionally what was the purpose? To relax, to recover mentally/physically, mentally or physically or to cover something else up that had been taken?

Athletes are implicitly responsible for what they put in their body. Busted, banned, live with it.

rojo wrote:

1) She’s clearly the best 100 runner in the US.

2) Marijuana isn’t a performance enhancer in track and shouldn’t be on the banned list.

3) The only way I can see her keeping her spot is if all of the US100 runners with the standard turn down the spot if offered it by USATF. Then USATF will have to nominate her.

Please spread the word.

http://chng.it/t6KMB27ph4

PS. I don’t want to get into any marijuana debates. Yes, it was foolish for her not to abstain right before the Olympics but it’s also foolish for those in charge to even be bothering to test for it.

No petition for Shelby? Marijuana, nandrolone - whatever. But rules don't apply to American athletes, do they?

Hole Cocker wrote:

Weed is not a narcotic.

Cannabis is included in the 1961 single convention on narcotic drugs 1961.

what more do you want?

I want her to be able to run at the Olympics, but that is because I am biased.

If she was representing any other nation than USA, then I would not want her to be allowed to run.

Exactly. This is a classic case for "rule for thee, not for me". These apologists don't maintain the same standards for international athletes, or even less popular athletes from within the USA.

Ultimately, WADA is an international agency. Weed may be "not that bad" to some Americans, but it is illegal in the vast majority of countries in the world, and more importantly it is banned by WADA. Follow the rules or find a different sport.

I won’t sign it, as she’s an idiot. She knew the rules. She broke the rules and got caught. Totally stupid move.

rojo wrote:

1) She’s clearly the best 100 runner in the US.

2) Marijuana isn’t a performance enhancer in track and shouldn’t be on the banned list.

3) The only way I can see her keeping her spot is if all of the US100 runners with the standard turn down the spot if offered it by USATF. Then USATF will have to nominate her.

Please spread the word.

http://chng.it/t6KMB27ph4

PS. I don’t want to get into any marijuana debates. Yes, it was foolish for her not to abstain right before the Olympics but it’s also foolish for those in charge to even be bothering to test for it.

This is a ridiculous petition. You should be embarrassed.

Create one to ban Gwen Barry and I will tjink about signing thisnone