American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who was the top gold medal contender for Tokyo Olympics, confirmed on Friday that she tested positive for marijuana at the US Olympic athletics trials. Richardson won the 100m at the US trials but will not be able to compete in the event in Tokyo. The 21-year-old, however, believes that she can still compete in the relay event. 

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While talking to US Olympic telecaster NBC’s ‘Today’ show, Richardson went on to say that she took marijuana to cope with “a state of emotional pain” after learning of the death of her biological mother from a reporter at the US Olympic trials last month in Eugene, Oregon.

She apologised to her fans for the violation moments before the US Anti-Doping Agency announced that Richardson has accepted a one-month ban from June 28 for her marijuana positive.

While she will not run in the 100m race, her chances to be able to participate in the 4x100m relay are slim. 

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Richardson aced the US Olympic trials last month by completing the 100m race in 10.86 seconds. This made her the sixth fastest woman of all time and the fourth-fastest American woman.

Sources have told Reuters that Jenna Prandini, who finished fourth in the final, had already been approached to run for the US in the 100m in Tokyo. 

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The relay at the Olympics will take place on August 6, which means she still has a chance to participate. But Richardson’s inclusion in United States’ Olympics team is in the hands of the USA Track and Field (USATF) and the US Olympic Committee.

The Texan could also appeal any sanction to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).