An outdated policy brought Sha’Carri Richardson more of what she was trying to avoid: Pain

It matters only that Richardson tested positive for THC, the chemical compound found in marijuana, and the inflexible rules are the inflexible rules. She’s now on a month-long, dream-crushing suspension for being 21 and overwhelmed. She won’t get to challenge for the 100-meter gold medal, which means the Tokyo Games lose a key figure in a highly anticipated event. She can cling to hope that, because her suspension ends before the 4×100 relay, she will be eligible to compete. But at this time, she can’t be certain.