No path for Richardson case to have resolution before Olympics — Wright
Published:Friday | July 2, 2021 | 12:12 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
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Sports medicine specialist Dr Paul Wright says that he does not see a pathway for American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson's failed drug's test case to be resolved in time for Tokyo, Olympics. The 21-year-old tested positive for a prohibited...
Sports medicine specialist Dr Paul Wright says that he does not see a pathway for American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson's failed drug's test case to be resolved in time for Tokyo, Olympics.
The 21-year-old tested positive for a prohibited substance, which effectively led to her 100m win at the US Olympic Trials on June 19 being provisionally disqualified. Sources say traces of the prohibited substance were found in Richardson's sample from a recent drug test.
Wright says that given the requirements for a case of an adverse finding, an outcome may not be reached with the Olympics set to start on July 23.
"Most likely she will miss the Olympics because once you are indicted like that, then you have the opportunity to ask for the second sample and to send your observer to be there at the second sample testing," Wright told The Gleaner. "Then you are going to look at the levels that they found of the substance. Was the substance performance-enhancing?
"We need to know more about the prohibited substance and what are the circumstances around her being in contact with the substance in order to test possibility at something like the Olympic Trials."
The World Anti Doping Agency has classified the drug as a 'Substance of Abuse' since January 1, 2021 and lays out a maximum ban of four years as its sanction. If she can prove that there was no sports performance enhancement, the ban can be reduced to three months.
Wright says that the due diligence from the United States (USA) Olympic Association as well as the United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA), could leave Richardson at home before her case is heard.
"I know that they are going to be doing everything to get the second sample tested, to get the tribunal together to listen to the cases for and against her being positive," he said. "But the head of USADA (CEO Travis Tygart), he is a very serious man and he is going to make sure that Is are dotted and all the Ts are crossed.
"With the Olympics a few weeks away, I don't see how she can get through all these hurdles before the Olympics in order to be eligible to run."