>>> WE ARE BACK.
8:13 NOW WITH THE STUNNING NEWS
TIED TO THE TOKYO OLYMPICS THAT
WEVE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL MONK
MORNING, SAVANNAH.
>> SHACARRI RICHARDSON, THE
U.S.S 100 METER CHAMPION WHO
DOMINATED AT THE PRESENT AT THE
OLYMPIC TRIAL HAS TESTED
POSITIVE FOR MARIJUANA FOLLOWING
THAT RACE.
THIS MORNING, THAT HAS PUT HER
OLYMPIC FUTURE IN DOUBT.
SHACARRI IS GOING TO BE WITH US
FOR AN EXCLUSIVE, LIVE
INTERVIEW, JUST AHEAD.
>> BUT FIRST, RICHARDSONS
REMARKABLE JOURNEY THAT HAS
DRAWN COMPARISONS AND WHAT COULD
BE A STUNNING DISAPPOINTMENT FOR
AN ATHLETE WHO HAS WON THE HEART
OF MILLIONS.
>> WITH A BLAZING TIME AND STAND
OUT STYLE, SHACARRI RICHARDSON
RECENTLY PUNCHED HER TICKET TO
TOKYO.
>> UNBELIEVABLE.
THE FACT THAT I AM AN OLYMPIAN
NO MATTER WHAT IS SAID OR
ANYTHING, I AM AN OLYMPIAN.
>> AT THE OLYMPIC TRIALS, THE
21-YEAR-OLD DALLAS NATIVE WON
THE 100 METER DASH IN A BLAZING
10.8 SECONDS MAKING HER THE
FASTEST WOMAN IN AMERICA.
BUT NOW IT APPEARS HER OLYMPIC
DREAMS MAY HAVE BEEN PUT ON
HOLD.
A U.S. OLYMPIC SOURCE TELLING
NBC NEWS SHE FAILED A DRUG TEST
AFTER HER FINALS WIVEN, TESTING
POSITIVE FOR THC, THE CHEMICAL
FOUND IN MARIJUANA.
ACCORDING TO HER LAWYERS,
SHACARRI HAS BEEN SUSPENDED
FROM THE OLYMPIC TEAM AND HER
FAILED TEST MAY CAUSE HER TO
LOSE HER SPOT ON TEAM USA
ENTIRELY.
HER OLYMPIC TRIAL RESULTS WERE
AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFIED WHEN
SHE TESTED POSITIVE.
THAT MEANS SHE WONT BE ALLOWED
TO COMPETE IN HER SIGNATURE
EVENT, THE 100 METERS.
BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE AN
OUTSIDE CHANCE SHE COULD COMPETE
IN A DIFFERENT EVENT.
WHATS UNCLEAR IS WHETHER SHE
WILL APPEAL THE TEST RESULTS AND
THE DISQUALIFICATION OR HOW LONG
HER SUSPENSION WILL LAST.
NBC NEWS HAS REACHED OUT TO THE
USA TRACK AND FIELD FOR OFFICIAL
COMMENT.
SHACARRI CAPTURED THE HEARTS OF
MILLIONS WHEN SHE RAN INTO THE
STANDS AFTER HER VICTORY AND
HUGGED HER GRANDMOTHER, JUST A
WEEK AFTER LOSING HER BIOLOGICAL
MOTHER.
>> MY FAMILY HAS KEPT ME
GROUNDED.
THIS YEAR HAS BEEN CRAZY FOR ME.
GOING FROM JUST LAST WEEK LOSING
MY BIOLOGICAL MOTHER AND IM
STILL HERE.
>> AND AFTER BEING NOTIFIED OF
HER FAILED DRUG TEST, RICHARDSON
TWEETED YESTERDAY, I AM HUMAN.
SAVANNAH.
>> SHEINELLE, THANK YOU.
SHACARRI RICHARDSON JOINS US
NOW.
GOOD MORNING, SHACARRI.
I JUST WANT TO ASK A SIMPLE
QUESTION FIRST.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> IM BLESSED TO BE ALIVE.
THATS ABOUT IT.
>> THIS IS NOT EASY.
THIS IS A HARD MOMENT THAT
YOURE IN RIGHT NOW.
AND I THANK YOU FOR BEING ON.
AND I KNOW YOU WANTED TO TELL
YOUR STORY.
SO TELL ME, YOU KNOW, WHAT
HAPPENED.
WHAT LED UP TO THIS POSITIVE
TEST.
>> JUST, HONESTLY, I WANT TO
APOLOGIZE FOR OUR ACTIONS.
I KNOW WHAT I DID.
I KNOW WHAT IM SUPPOSED TO DO.
WHAT IM ALLOWED NOT TO DO AND I
STILL MADE THAT DECISION.
BUT NOT MAKING AN EXCUSE OR
LOOKING FOR ANY EMPATHY IN MY
CASE, BUT JUST, HOWEVER, BEING
IN THAT POSITION OF MY LIFE,
FINDING OUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT,
SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SAY IS
PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST
THINGS THAT HAS IMPACTED ME
POSITIVELY AND NEGATIVELY IN MY
LIFE WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING
WITH THE RELATIONSHIP I HAVE
WITH MY MOTHER.
SO THAT DEFINITELY WAS A VERY
HEAVY TOPIC ON ME.
AND PEOPLE DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT
ITS LIKE TO HAVE TO -- OR
PEOPLE DO.
WE ALL HAVE OUR DIFFERENT
STRUGGLES.
WE ALL HAVE OUR DIFFERENT THINGS
WERE DEALING WITH.
BUT TO PUT ON A FACE, TO HAVE TO
GO IN FRONT OF THE WORLD AND PUT
ON A FACE AND HIDE MY PAIN, I
DONT KNOW, WHO ARE YOU OR WHO
AM I TO TELL YOU HOW TO COPE
WHEN YOURE DEALING WITH A PAIN
OR YOURE DEALING WITH A
STRUGGLE THAT YOU NEVER
EXPERIENCED BEFORE OR THAT YOU
NEVER THOUGHT YOU WOULD HAVE TO
DO IT.
WHO AM I TO TELL YOU HOW TO
COPE?
WHO AM I TO TELL YOU THAT YOURE
WRONG FOR HURTING?
SO I THINK, HONESTLY, LEADING UP
TO THAT, DEALING WITH MY MENTAL
HEALTH, LEADING UP TO THE GAMES,
EVERY TIME STEPPING ON THE
TRACK, EXPECTED TO BE A RECORD
BREAKING TIME OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT, SO JUST WITH THAT PRESSURE
IN ITSELF WAS ALSO JUST ANOTHER
THING WHICH IS MY FIRST FULL
PROFESSIONAL CAREER, MY FIRST
FULL PROFESSIONAL CIRCUIT THIS
YEAR DUE TO, YOU KNOW, THE
PANDEMIC.
SO JUST CONSIDERING ALL OF THAT,
ALL OF THAT PUT TOGETHER AND MY
AGENT, MY SPONSORS, MY
SPONSORSHIP, MY FAMILY,
KNOWING -- SO --
>> SHACARRI, I JUST WANT PEOPLE
TO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOURE
COMING FROM.
AND TELL ME IF THIS IS CORRECT.
BUT IT WAS A FEW DAYS BEFORE
YOUR BIG RACE AND THE TRIALS.
YOU FOUND OUT THAT YOUR
BIOLOGICAL MOTHER HAD PASSED
AWAY.
YOU FOUND OUT WHEN A REPORTER
TOLD YOU.
AND IT WAS AFTER THAT THAT YOU
INGESTED SOME KIND OF MARIJUANA.
I SHOULD MENTION, YOU WERE IN
OREGON.
ITS LEGAL IN OREGON.
YOU DIDNT VIOLATE ANY LAW.
BUT IT WAS AGAINST THE RULES OF
YOUR SPORT, AND AS YOU SAID, YOU
KNEW THAT.
BUT IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED?
IS THAT HOW THIS UNFOLDED?
>> HONESTLY, YES, THAT IS THE
STORY I HAD SCHEDULED WITH MY
AGENT.
I KNEW I WAS HAVING AN
INTERVIEW.
I I WAS JUST THINKING IT WOULD
BE A NORMAL INTERVIEW.
AND THEN ON THE INTERVIEW TO
HEAR THAT INFORMATION COME FROM
A COMPLETE STRANGER, I WAS
DEFINITELY TRIGGERING, IT WAS
NERVE SHOCKING BECAUSE ITS JUST
LIKE, HOW ARE YOU TO TELL ME
THAT -- AND NO OFFENSE AGAINST
HIM AT ALL.
HE WAS JUST DOING HIS JOB.
BUT DEFINITELY, THAT PUT ME IN A
STATE OF MIND, IN A STATE OF
EMOTIONAL PANIC, IF ANYTHING.
AND STILL KNOWING THAT I
STILL -- EVEN THOUGH IM HERE, I
STILL HAVE TO GO OUT AND PUT ON
A PERFORMANCE FOR MY DREAM, GO
OUT THERE AND COMPETE.
SO IT IS, AND FROM THERE,
BLINDED BY EMOTIONS, BLINDED BY
BAD NEWS, BLINDED BY JUST
HURTING, HIDING HURT, HONESTLY,
FOR THE FACT THAT I KNOW THAT I
CANT HIDE MYSELF.
SO AT LEAST IN SOME TYPE OF WAY,
I WAS TRYING TO HIDE MY PAIN.
>> YEAH.
THE OLYMPIC OFFICIALS, THE U.S.
TRACK AND FIELD, THE ANTI-DOPING
AGENCIES NOW HAVE A DECISION
BEFORE THEM.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO COMPETE IN THE OLYMPICS
IN YOUR RACE, YOUR INDIVIDUAL
RACE, 100 METERS.
BUT THERE IS A CHANCE -- ITS A
SMALL CHANCE, BUT THERES A
CHANCE YOU COULD GO TO THE
OLYMPICS AND TAKE PART IN THE
RELAY.
ARE YOU HOPEFUL FOR THAT?
IS THAT WHAT YOURE HOLDING OUT
HOPE FOR AT THIS MOMENT?
>> RIGHT NOW, IM JUST PUTTING
ALL OF MY TIME AND ENERGY INTO
DEALING WITH WHAT I NEED TO DEAL
WITH TO HEAL MYSELF.
SO IF IM ALLOWED TO RECEIVE
THAT BLESSING, THEN IM GRATEFUL
FOR IT.
BUT IF NOT, RIGHT NOW IM GOING
TO JUST FOCUS ON MYSELF.
>> YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD YOUR
MESSAGE BE TO THOSE WHO ARE
CONSIDERING THAT RIGHT NOW, WHO
ARE THINKING ABOUT THAT?
AND TO YOUR FANS, YOU KNOW, WHO
HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH YOU AND
WERE SO PROUD OF YOUR
PERFORMANCE AND MAYBE CRUSHED
JUST AS YOU ARE IN THAT MOMENT.
WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO SAY TO
THEM?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO MY
FANS AND MY FAMILY AND MY
SPONSORSHIP, TRUE TO THE HATERS,
TOO, I APOLOGIZE.
AS MUCH AS IM DISAPPOINTED.
I KNOW WHEN I STEP ON THE TRACK,
I REPRESENTATIVE MYSELF, I
REPRESENT A COMMUNITY THAT SHOWS
GREAT LOVE AND TO YALL, I FEEL
YALL AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE
FACT THAT I DIDNT EVEN KNOW HOW
TO CONTROL MY EMOTIONS OR DEAL
WITH MY EMOTIONS DURING THAT
TIME.
AND TO THE -- AND WHEN I WAS
LEAVE WITH MY FANS OR I WOULD
JUST LEAVE OUT THERE LIKE I
TWEETED TODAY AND YESTERDAY, IM
HUMAN.
WERE HUMAN.
MY INTERVIEWS, I WANT TO BE AS
TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE WITH YOU
GUYS, WHETHER ITS GOOD, WHETHER
ITS BAD, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO
SHACARRI RICHARDSON, ITS NEVER
BEEN AS -- ATTACHED TO THE NAME
SHACARRI RICHARDSON.
SO WHAT THE SITUATION WAS WAS
MARIJUANA.
IM NOT ENCOURAGING ANYBODY TO
DO IT.
IM NOT SAYING OH, DONT DO IT
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO THINGS
IN YOUR PERSONAL TIME OR THINGS
LIKE THAT, YOU JUST SHOULD KNOW,
ALL RIGHT, BE AWARE OF THE
CONSEQUENCES OR JUST FIND
DIFFERENT WAYS TO JUST COPE OR
DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT WILL MAKE
YOU FEEL BETTER.
BUT SITTING HERE, I JUST SAY
DONT JUDGE ME BECAUSE I AM
HUMAN.
IM YOU, I JUST HAPPEN TO RUN A
LITTLE FASTER.
THERES GOING TO BE PEOPLE THAT
HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY THAT DONT
NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND AND I
WOULDNT EVEN CALL THEM HATERS.
IF THEY WANT TO CHOOSE TO SHOW
THEIR CHARACTER OF A PERSON,
EVEN AFTER ME SAYING WHAT IVE
SAID, AND PUTTING MYSELF OUT
THERE, THEN THATS JUST ON YOU,
YOUR CHARACTER, AND YOU HAVE TO
LIVE WITH THAT.
BUT I GREATLY APPRECIATE BEING
ABLE TO TELL MY SIDE OF THE
STORY.
AND LIKE I SAID TO MY FANS, MY
FAMILY, MY SPONSORSHIP AND
HATERS, I GREATLY APOLOGIZE IF I
LET YOU GUYS DOWN, AND I DID,
AND I JUST WANT TO LET YALL
KNOW, THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME
THE OLYMPICS DONT CHEAT
SHACARRI RICHARDSON AND THIS
WILL BE THE LAST TIME THE U.S.
DOESNT COME HOME WITH A GOLD
MEDAL IN THE HUNDRED.
AND I FEEL -- IS UP AGAINST ME.
>> SHACARRI, I -- BEFORE I LET
YOU GO, I JUST -- I THINK ABOUT
YOU AND THE HIGHS AND LOWS THAT
YOUVE HAD TO DEAL WITH.
YOUR DREAM CAME TRUE.
YOU DAZZLED.
YOU DAZZLED EVERYBODY WITH YOUR
PERFORMANCE, BUT ALSO YOUR
WORDS, YOUR HUG FOR YOUR
GRANDMA.
YOUVE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH AND
WELL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND WHAT
THIS DECISION IS.
BUT DO YOU PLAN TO KEEP RUNNING?
ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP THOSE
OLYMPIC DREAMS ALIVE NO MATTER
WHAT?
>> YES.
THIS IS JUST ONE GAME.
IM 21.
IM VERY YOUNG.
UNLIKE MOST, I HAVE PLENTY OF
GAMES LEFT IN ME TO COMPETE IN
AND I HAVE PLENTY OF TALENT THAT
BACKS ME UP BECAUSE OF
EVERYTHING I DO COMES TO ME
NATURALLY, NO STEROID OR
ANYTHING.
THIS INCIDENT WAS ABOUT
MARIJUANA.
SO AFTER MY SANCTION IS UP, ILL
BE BACK AND ABLE TO COMPETE AND
EVERYTHING.
NEXT TIME I STEP ON THE TRACK,
ILL BE READY FOR WHATEVER
ANTI-DOPING AGENCIES TO COME AND
GET WHATEVER THEY NEED BECAUSE
THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN --
>> SHACARRI RICHARDSON, NOT AN
EASY MOMENT, BUT YOU SHOWED A