Last night some of the most talked about athletes in sports were honored at the ESPY awards. A lot great moments took place during the event, such as Lebron James announcing he’s not retiring from the NBA to an emotional speech from the Buffalo Bills star, Demar Hamlin.
After seeing all the viral clips on social media, track and field star, Sha’Carri Richardson went on to twitter and revealed she wasn’t invited to last night’s event.
“The ESPYS invited me when my life was in shambles as if I was a charity case. The disrespect that track & field receives in the USA alone is nasty. Half of the athletes there now could not do what we do on our WORST day. #espys” Richardson tweeted.
If you’re not familiar with Richardson’s story, the reason she said she was invited when her life was in shambles is because in June 2021, Richardson won the women’s 100-meter race at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, with a time of 10.86 seconds. This victory earned her a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, and she was expected to compete in the 100-meter event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
However, shortly after her victory, it was revealed that Richardson had tested positive for marijuana during the trials. As a result, she received a one-month suspension from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which made her ineligible to compete in the 100-meter event at the Tokyo Olympics.
Richardson acknowledged the positive drug test and explained that she used marijuana as a way to cope with the emotional stress of learning about the death of her biological mother. She accepted the consequences of her actions but expressed remorse and vowed to come back stronger.
Despite not being able to participate in the Olympics, Richardson’s talent and personality have made her a popular figure in the world of track and field.
After overcoming the public rage Richardson is back and better and winning on the track again. “In April, she ran a wind-aided 10.57 at the Miramar Invitational in Florida, the fourth-fastest all-conditions time ever recorded; the next month in Doha, Qatar, she tallied her first Diamond League win.”
During a post-race interview after her victory, Richardson said, “I’m ready mentally, physically, and emotionally, and I’m here to stay,” adding, “I’m not back, I’m better.”
All eyes were on Richardson this last week. On Thursday, in the opening heats, she ran 10.71, which was the best time of the year.