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Sha'Carri Richardson Speaks Out About Decision to Allow Skater Kamila Valieva To Compete in Olympics

Sha'Carri Richardson Speaks Out About Decision to Allow Skater Kamila Valieva To Compete in Olympics

Sha’Carri Richardson is questioning everything about the decision by the International Olympic Committee to allow skater Kamila Valieva to compete at the Beijing games.

Last year, after qualifying for the delayed Summer Olympics hosted in Tokyo, Sha’Carri was disqualified and banned from competing after testing positive for marijuana.

The IOC ruled that Kamila, who tested positive for trimetazidine, a banned substance prior to the Games, will be allowed to compete.

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“Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mines?” Sha’Carri wrote on Twitter, calling out the double standard she saw. “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.”

Kamila had tested positive for a banned substance before the games, and the sample was obtained prior to her win at the European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia.

She’s not the only one to call out the decision. Tara Lipinski, who won the figure skating gold medal when she was just 15 in 1998, also spoke out.

“I strongly disagree with this decision,” she wrote. “At the end of the day, there was a positive test and there is no question in my mind that she should not be allowed to compete. Regardless of age or timing of the test/results. I believe this will leave a permanent scar on our sport.”

Tara added, “One more thought. I’ve said this before, she’s just 15. Please keep that in mind. This is a lot for a young person to deal with. I hope that whichever adults faulted her are held ACCOUNTABLE. This is heartbreaking.”

You can read the IOC’s full decision on the matter here…

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