Richardson announced her arrival at the U. Her style and swagger have earned comparisons to another American great, m world-record holder Florence Griffith Joyner. In a development that shocked and saddened fans of track and field, and the Olympics, the U. The Olympics lose out. Track and field, a sport seemingly forever tainted by drug scandals—of the raw performance-enhancing kind, or not—loses out.
Fans lose out. Even her opponents lose out. Sure, the path to a medal becomes easier without Richardson in the field. But any win will forever be accompanied by a sort of hidden asterisk: what, history will wonder, would have happened if Richardson had raced? Usually, these suspensions come with a ready-made villain.
But Richardson took no steroids. She said, in a Today Show interview Friday morning, that she turned in marijuana to cope with the news that her biological mother had died. Richardson was raised by her grandmother, whom she poignantly hugged in the stands after her trials victory, and aunt. Her situation has drawn sympathy, for good reason. An Olympic gold—combined with a fun-loving personality that fits the celebrity mold—could have enriched Richardson.
That opportunity is gone. She endangered no one at the track: quite the opposite, she distanced herself from the competition. The performance-enhancing benefits of marijuana are, if not specious, at least very much up for debate. In a situation where someone may have turned to a legal substance to cope with grief? Come on. Yes, rules are rules. But no one who watched Richardson win at Trials could possibly think that marijuana fueled her victory.
Richardson has acknowledged her mistake, apologized, and will pay the harsh consequences. But sometimes, it would be nice for common sense to rule instead. Merlin's Grimoire. Dragon Soar. European Roulette. The Dog House Megaways. Fabulous Marbles. Alaskan Fishing. Lucky Racing. Rise of Apollo. Lucky Mr. Naughty Nick's Book. Fruits On Ice Collection - 40 Lines. Thai River Wonders. Pure Platinum. Cake Valley. Wolf Blaze Megaways. The Great Wall Treasure.
