U.S. track and field star Sha’Carri Richardson is speaking out after a Russian figure skater was allowed to compete after a failed drug test.
Kamila Valieva, 15, tested positive for the heart drug trimetazidine. The drug increases oxygen flow to the heart, which can also enhance an athlete’s performance by limiting rapid swings in blood pressure.
She was still allowed to compete in the women’s figure skating competition at the 2022 Beijing Games despite failing the test.
“Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mines? 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,” Richardson tweeted.
Richardson was thrust into the global spotlight in June 2020 when she won the 100 meters with a time of 10.86 seconds — coming in 0.13 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Javianne Oliver at the Olympic trials.
However, she soon faced backlash for testing positive marijuana- a non-performance-enhancing drug. She was just 21 and at the time, second only in the world to Jamaican star Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and was lauded as the “female Usain Bolt.”
The decision to allow Valieva to perform has sparked outrage on social media. It’s hard not to agree with Richardson’s view that “It’s all in the skin.”
The International Olympic Committee announced that the teen would stay off the podium due to fears about her eligibility.
“Should Ms. Valieva finish amongst the top three competitors in the women’s singles skating competition, no flower ceremony and no medal ceremony will take place during the Olympic Winter Games,” the Olympic committee said in a statement, adding that no ceremony will be conducted during the Games.
Richardson over its differing coverage of both young athletes.
“Failed in December and the world just now know however my resulted was posted within a week and my name & talent was slaughtered to the people,” she tweeted.
She’s not wrong.
