Janice R. Andrews
PARIS: One of the many people who sympathized with American sprinting phenom Sha’Carri Richardson’s situation after she was banned from the Tokyo Olympics for testing positive for marijuana was the president of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Travis Tygart, CEO of USADA, stated that unless it can be demonstrated that an athlete constituted a serious risk to their health and safety or intentionally sought a substantial competitive advantage, they shouldn’t be penalized for testing positive for marijuana.
With the Paris Olympics about to begin, three years later, Tygart’s attempts to modify the policy have not gone very far. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which was founded by the International Olympic Committee to regulate drug testing in international sports, still prohibits the use of marijuana.
Tygart expressed his disappointment to Yahoo Sports. “We should all be honest about the fact that marijuana doesn’t improve performance. We are not involved in the enforcement of recreational drug use. Our goal is to stop sports fraud and cheating.
Following Richardson’s punishment three years prior, a heated discussion arose over the fairness of WADA’s marijuana regulation. Even before Richardson went on the “TODAY” program and revealed she smoked marijuana to cope with the death of her biological mother only days before the U.S. Olympic Trials, prominent athletes, artists, and politicians advocated for reform.
WADA began a scientific examination of cannabis in September 2021 at the request of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, USADA, and other international stakeholders. WADA’s three requirements for adding a drug to its list of prohibited substances were assessed by a panel of pharmacologists, toxicologists, and other specialists to see if cannabis satisfied at least two of the requirements.
Regarding whether cannabis may improve performance, the panel’s opinions were divided. They uncovered anecdotal accounts from athletes claiming cannabis lessens pain or anxiety but could not find any thorough research showing cannabis improves performance, stamina, or recuperation. Experts agreed on WADA’s second and third criterion, which state that using cannabis while competing puts athletes’ health at risk and goes against the “spirit of sport.” Although marijuana laws have been loosened in the United States, WADA’s experts pointed out in a study from August 2023 that “its use violates the law in most countries around the world.”
When questioned about his evaluation of WADA’s study, Tygart chastised the decision and the lack of openness, calling it “a very closed-door process” and pointing out that U.S. authorities were only notified after the inquiry was over.
Richardson was upset with WADA when Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was permitted to participate in the Beijing Olympics in February 2022 after testing positive for a prohibited drug in late 2021. Richardson tweeted, “Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mine? ” The comment has since been removed. I can’t run since my mother passed away.
She went on, “I’m a black young lady, and that’s the only difference I see.”
Richardson has only said the same five words about the situation today, which she has said a lot over the previous year: “I’m not back, I’m better.” Since then, she has demonstrated her abilities on the track, taking home a gold medal in the women’s 100 meters at the World Championships and earning a spot in the Paris Olympics with the fastest time in the world this year.
The understanding reaction to Richardson is indicative of how Americans’ views on marijuana are changing. Major US sports leagues have adjusted as several states have legalized or decriminalized marijuana. Players who use marijuana are fined by the NFL, but they are no longer suspended. Major League Baseball and the NBA have both removed marijuana off their lists of prohibited drugs. The NCAA declared earlier in the summer that it will stop testing Division I athletes for cannabis use before to its finals.
Although WADA’s marijuana policy is still tighter than those of the major American sports organizations, the organization has also loosened its regulations. WADA raised the bar for a positive test 10 times in 2013, which reduced but did not completely remove the possibility that an occasional marijuana user would be found out and punished.
Athletes who test positive for THC during a competition and whose results beyond the permitted level are subject to suspension under WADA regulations. The normal three-month punishment can be lowered to one month if the athlete successfully completes a drug addiction treatment program. However, this reduction only applies if the athlete can demonstrate that cannabis usage happened outside of competition and had no impact on their performance in the sport.
The amount of marijuana that is taken and how strong it is, how often it is taken, the athlete’s weight, and their metabolism all affect how quickly marijuana leaves the body, according to the USADA. Athletes that use cannabis before to competition may still face consequences, even if it is only forbidden during that time.
“At the end of the day, it’s unfair to punish behavior that doesn’t involve breaking the rules, and that’s what happens in certain situations right now,” Tygart stated.
