IOC dismisses sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson's allegations of racist double standards
Sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson on Monday, February 14, had questioned why the Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was being allowed to compete in the ongoing Winter Olympics at Beijing amidst doping charges while she was banned from the Tokyo Games after she tested positive for marijuana. Richardson accused the International Olympic Committee of racist double standards, citing the disparity in how both cases were handled. In response, IOC has denied the allegation and rejected Richardson’s claims of IOC's double standards against Black athletes.
The 21-year-old sprinter was expected to be one of the star attractions at the Tokyo Summer Games after she won the 100 meters race at the US trials. However, she was barred from competing due to a 1-month suspension after testing positive for cannabis. Richardson said her actions were the direct result of her grief when she was mourning the death of her mother. “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.” she said.
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