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Sha’Carri Richardson skyrocketed into stardom after she became one of the fastest women in the world after she ran the women’s 100-meter at the United States Olympic trials last year. The cheers turned to criticism after she tested positive for THC and was eliminated from the Tokyo Games. The public was harsh and some were unforgiving, but the Dallas native said she had to forgive herself and take accountability regardless of what was being said. She said she also apologized to her loved ones who were affected by her actions.
“How I show myself forgiveness is honestly by acknowledging it first, acknowledging the situation for what it is, acknowledging my responsibilities in it, and talking about it to the people I feel like it impacted besides myself,” she told Teen Vogue. “When I had the entire situation of being banned from the Tokyo Games, the people who I talked to first were the people who I felt like were with me the most on the journey. I apologized to them first. I felt like they had to hold my shame as well, in a way — or my guilt, in a way. Acknowledging them made me feel like it was okay within myself…and [I] actually allowed myself to feel those emotions. That whole situation was a very big growing and touching experience for me and my community.”
The 21-year-old track star also noticed how ruthlessly the masses condemn Black women, a crushing experience that only that we are the most familiar with.
“That entire situation taught me to look into myself and to see that I have to be grounded, because do you see how fast they flip? It almost seems like we have to be superheroes,” Richardson said about Black women. “It’s just irritating because you take away the abilities, you take away the speed, you take away the talent … and we’re still human.
Being a Black female athlete comes with harsh judgement that other racial groups don’t experience, something Richardson pointed out regarding 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva. Richardson recently called out the Olympics Committee for disqualifying her in 2021 but then allowing Valieva to compete in the 2022 Winter Games after testing positive for a banned heart medication that can enhance performance called Trimetazidine. While she was quickly booted from the Olympics, excuses upon excuses have been made for Valieva and Richardson says racism is the driving factor behind this.
“Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mines [sic]? 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 tweeted on Feb. 14.
When it comes to her past mistakes, she isn’t dwelling on them and is instead focusing on her greatness.
“The past will come up, but I know I am not that,” Richardson said.
