What P Diddy said about Sha’Carri Richardson’s historic suspension
Rapper P. Diddy previously spoke up against the Olympic committee’s decision to suspend athlete Sha’Carri Richardson for her use of marijuana prior to the Games.
Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs ran to the defense of Olympian Sha’Carri Richardson after the athlete was hit with a 30-day suspension for testing positive for THC at the Olympics.
During the games, he raised concern about the decision online. He wrote: “I’m tired of white people sitting in a room making up decisions that affect our hopes and dreams. They will keep treating our athletes like slaves and entertainment until we shut down on these people.
Diddy further expressed concern about the criminal justice system and War on Drugs. The rapper said: “So many of our brothers, sisters, mothers, daughters, and sons are rotting in jail for marijuana and it’s JUST NOT RIGHT.
Now, to see them using this against a young Black woman that is on the edge of her greatness, all because some white man decided to make it illegal, is shameful.”
He felt that Sha’Carri’s dreams were “stripped away for using a legal substance” and didn’t agree with the rules against marijuana use. Additionally, he noted the presumed hypocrisy given the Michael Phelps’ 2009 cannabis scandal. Unlike Sha’Carri, he did not test positive for the substance in his system, but was photographed with a marijuana pipe. He was allowed to compete in 2009 World Championships and apologized for the picture.
Sha’Carri was candid about her drug usage. She confessed to using marijuana as a coping mechanism during a difficult time in her life when she lost her mother. “I was definitely triggered and blinded by emotions, blinded by badness, and hurting, and hiding hurt,” she told NBC. “I know I can’t hide myself, so in some type of way, I was trying to hide my pain.”
The Olympics’ policy on recreational drug use, especially for that of cannabis, has largely been under scrutiny over the years. According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, “For something to be added to the … Prohibited List, it must meet two of the three inclusion criteria: a) it poses a health risk to athletes b) it has the potential to enhance performance and c) it violates the spirit of sport.”
Many have argued that the drug does not lead to enhanced performance. Nonetheless, “all synthetic and naturally occurring cannabinoids are prohibited in-competition, except for cannabidiol (CBD)” are strictly prohibited.
Sha’Carri fans will get to see their favorite sprinter make her comeback at this year’s games.
