Racist contradictions in the Olympics: The case of Sha’Carri Richardson and Kaila Valieva

On Feb. 14, 2022, U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson tweeted a post calling out discrepancies in Olympic and anti-doping regulations. The tweet was posted in response after Russian skater Kamila Valieva failed to pass a drug test but was still allowed to compete in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics—a privilege that Richardson, a Black athlete, was not afforded.

Richardson was denied entry at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics when she failed a drug test after using marijuana. She admitted to the mistake quite honestly and told NBC’s “Today Show,” “I know what I'm not allowed to do and I still made that decision. [I'm] not making an excuse or looking for any empathy.”

Richardson used the drug to cope after being informed days before the Olympic trials that her biological mother had passed away. Atop the tragedy that this announcement struck, controversy erupted when it was revealed that Richardson used marijuana in Oregon, a state where the drug is legal; but, THC is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of prohibited substances, resulting in Richardson’s failure to make the Tokyo Olympics.

Trimetazidine, the drug that Valieva tested positive for before the Beijing Olympics, is also on the WADA list of prohibited substances. Trimetazidine is a drug used for heart-related conditions, such as angina, and can be used to boost endurance and blood efficiency. The medication was prescribed to Valieva’s grandfather—Valieva’s lawyers claimed that she had accidentally ingested or been contaminated by the drug by coincidence.

While THC is not a performance-enhancing drug, and trimetazidine is, Valieva was allowed to compete at the Olympics while Richardson was not. The reason? Richardson tweeted, “It’s all in the skin.”

Richardson claimed that Valieva’s entry and her denial could be entirely attributed to racism in Olympic policies and anti-doping policing. She spoke publicly about the many differences between how the two cases were handled—even before this ruling was made, Valieva was allowed to compete without a test result, as her test results were collected on Dec. 25, 2021, and not reported until Feb. 8, 2022. Valieva was suspended from the Games when her results came to light, but successfully appealed the suspension, allowing her to compete.

Richardson’s claims went rather viral on Twitter after she posted, “Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mines? 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.”

Richardson’s statements were mostly well-received, though some argued that Valieva’s age may have played a role in evaluating these discrepancies (Valieva is 15 years old, and Richardson is 21). Some social media posts involving the controversy were also criticized for painting Richardson in the light of the “angry Black woman” stereotype.

Regardless of any additional controversies surrounding this issue, one thing remains clear—racism in policing and competition at the Olympics continues to impact athletes of color. In the past, Black female athletes have been disqualified from the Olympics for similar fractures along guidelines, sometimes for policies more blatantly racist and misogynistic than the ones represented in this case. 

That being said, Richardson’s story represents a narrative that many athletes of color know all too well, and one that will not be brought to justice until policy-makers and those who are in positions of influence at the Olympics make the active decision to address and correct these racist policies.