Dwyane Wade Blasts Lawmakers After Sha’Carri Richardson’s Olympics Suspension for Positive Drug Test

NBA star Dwyane Wade voiced his support for Olympic hopeful Sha’Carri Richardson after the runner was suspended from the Toyko Games after testing positive for marijuana. The former NBA star shared a tweet that read “It’s legal to recreationally smoke weed in 19+ states, including the one where Richardson tested positive, while the NFL, NBA, and MLB have softened their stance. But we’re still going to stop an Olympian from competing due to a non-performance-enhancing drug? Makes no sense,” adding “But majority of y’all rule makers smoke and probably are investors in THC companies. Let’s stop playing these games.”

Wade continued, sharing a tweet that read “Weed is NOT performance-enhancing,” writing “In a world where people are literally making millions upon millions growing and selling it! Y’all ever heard of a fine?” He also retweeted Richardson’s tweet that read “I am human” in solidarity. In the wake of the news that Richardson would face a one-month suspension so she could no longer run the Tokyo Games, despite being singled out as a potential gold medalist after winning the 100 meters in 10.86 seconds, many pointed out that this extreme position on marijuana use was outdated and harmful.

It was revealed that Richardson used marijuana while in Oregon, where the drug is legal, after she found out from a reporter that her biological mother had died. After the failed drug test, Richardson accepted the suspension and offered a public apology. “I apologize,” Richardson said on TODAY. “As much as I’m disappointed I know that when I step on the track I represent not only myself, I represent a community that has shown great support, great love … I apologize for the fact that I didn’t know how to control my emotions or deal with my emotions during that time.”

Richardson explained that she knew the rules but had used marijuana as a coping mechanism after the devastating news. “We all have our different struggles, we all have our different things we deal with, but to put on a face and have to go out in front of the world and put on a face and hide my pain,” Richardson said. “Who are you? Who am I to tell you how to cope when you’re dealing with a pain or you’re dealing with a struggle that you’ve never experienced before or that you never thought you’d have to deal with. Who am I to tell you how to cope? Who am I to tell you you’re wrong for hurting?”