Sha’Carri Richardson: World Anti-Doping Agency claims the US has been pushing for a cannabis ban, anyone surprised?

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) issued a public response to a cascade of reactions from US government officials regarding Sha’Carri Richardson’s disqualification from the Tokyo Olympics for legal marijuana use.

Background: Last week, several members of Congress voiced their position on the inclusion of cannabis on WADA’s Prohibited Substances list and urged the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to approve its decision to disqualify the 21-year-old sprinter revise.

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USADA claimed it was required by WADA regulations to sanction Richardson even though “their own views are different” when it comes to what substances are on WADA’s prohibited list.

The White House joined the fight through the US Bureau of National Drug Control Policy and announced its intention to meet with WADA to discuss cannabis policy.

The World Anti-Doping Agency speaks out

In a public letter signed by Witold Banka, President of WADA, the agency stated that the process by which cannabis is annually added to the Prohibited Substances List is being reviewed by global experts through a process in which U.S. officials if not excessively represented, the right to vote.

RELATED: More Women Oppose Sha’Carri Richardson’s Marijuana Ban Than Men

The letter was specifically addressed to Reps Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamie Raskin, who made a statement last week stating that USADA’s anti-marijuana policy continues anti-drug policies that negatively impact Color communities, and urged both USADA and WADA to share their verdict on Richardson.

WADA publishes the Prohibited List annually with an expert advisory group of 12 international members, three of whom are from the United States, giving the United States more weight and representation than any other nation. It currently includes USADA’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Matthew Fedoruk.

Cannabinoids on WADA’s prohibited list

Cannabinoids have been on the Prohibited List every year since WADA began monitoring in 2004.

Contrary to claims made by USADA, which essentially blamed WADA for Richardon’s disqualification, WADA stated in a letter that “at no time since the first Prohibited List was published in 2004 has WADA objected to inclusion by US interest groups of cannabinoids on the prohibited list, ”said Banka.

“On the contrary, (…) the US was one of the loudest and strongest supporters of including cannabinoids on the Prohibited List.”

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Banka said filings from the US, particularly from the USADA, have consistently advocated cannabinoids remain on the Prohibited List for nearly two decades, insisting that “the argument that some have made suggests that US anti -Doping stakeholders in antiquated thinking in relation to the Prohibited List is not supported by the facts. “

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However, Banka noted that several such changes have been made to the list over the years and that more changes may be made in the future if everyone agrees.

Can WADA overturn Sha’Carri Richardson’s disqualification?

The agency’s president said that WADA played a coordinating role in developing and publishing the Prohibited List and, as such, was “unable to clear the results of Ms. Richardson’s Oregon test …” imposed by USADA, “nor the decisions of” USA Athletics regarding their participation in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. “

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USADA said in a public statement that there is no longer any legal process to challenge or reverse it as Richardson accepted the outcome.

Petrol Gas Take: While Richardson is unlikely to attend the Tokyo Olympics after her disqualification, it is fair to believe that the domino effect catalyzed by her disqualification could have significant ramifications for future iterations of the WADA Prohibited List, leading to possible changes in the inclusion of cannabis as a prohibited substance.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and was republished with permission.