Gabrielle Union and many other celebs took to Twitter to show support for Sha’Carri Richardson after she was suspended from the Olympic Trials for using marijuana.
Gabrielle Union was one of many celebrities to offer support to Sha’Carri Richardson, 21, after the track and field star was suspended from the Olympic Trials for using marijuana. Even though Sha’Carri came in first during the 100m run at the Olympic Trials, the United States Anti-Doping Agency issued her a one-month suspension, which may prevent her from participating in the same event at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, according to The New York Times. Sha’Carri apologized for her mistake in a TODAY interview and also tweeted a reference to the scandal, saying “I am human.”
Gabrielle was one of many stars who showed love for Sha’Carri, who said that she was using pot to help cope with the loss of her biological mother. The Bring It On actress joked, “Weed is great for many a thing but running faster isn’t one of them.” She also wrote, “Let her run,” which became a bit of a rallying call for those showing support for Sha’Carri. Bachelor star Jade Roper Tolbert and E! host Morgan Stewart both commented on an E! News Instagram post about Sha’Carri, writing “Let her run.”
Other stars that chimed in included NFL player Odell Beckham Jr., who called the suspension “bulls**t” in a response to Sha’Carri’s tweet. George Takei showed how ridiculous the suspension was with a clever joke. “They once found trace amounts of THC in my blood, and they still let me pilot the Enterprise,” he wrote, referencing his time on Star Trek. Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Heather Gay also tweeted that people should “normalize weed,” and that the runner should be allowed to compete.
In fact, conversations about marijuana and the laws surrounding it dominated the internet. Seth Rogen, who’s known to enjoy partaking in marijuana, pointed out racism in the way weed is discussed. “It’s insane that Team USA would disqualify one of this country’s most talented athletes over thinking that’s rooted in hatred. It’s something they should be ashamed of,” he wrote. Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness shared a similar sentiment.
Seth wasn’t the only one to make that point. Glee actress Amber Riley shared a screenshot of an Instagram story by someone with the handle @freewomxn that said that Sha’Carri’s suspension was indicative of a larger problem, especially for people who felt Sha’Carri deserved to be punished for breaking a rule. “Y’all really hate black women, and it shows,” Amber wrote in her Instagram caption. “We publicly and LOUDLY stand with you, sis.”