ROC Ice Skater Testing Positive for Banned Drug
By-Tay
Russian Olympic Committee skater Kamila Valieva is being cornered in controversy about her testing positive for doping, giving her an advantage because the drug increases blood flow to the heart. Sha’Carri Richardson, a track and field competitor in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was forced out after using Marijuana. Marijuana did not give her an advantage, but she was forced out, using it to cope with her biological mother’s death. Kamila, the ROC (Russian Olympic Committee) skater used a drug that gave her an unfair advantage, but she was allowed to compete and eventually, the controversy spiraled around her, giving her 4th place, with no medal.. Controversy spreads, and the debate is very high. Many people say she should still be allowed because of her young age and it wasn’t her choice to take the drug. Others said that she should be kicked out if Richardson was kicked out.
Richardson responded to a USA Today Twitter Post about the skater’s test and mentioned, “The only thing I see here is that I am a black, young girl. Racial thoughts appeared after this, questioning whether the race of the athletes determined their fate. Richardson also acknowledges that she knows the Olympic rules and should have followed.
The process of determining whether or not Kamila should have been given the chance to compete or not could take months into the future. Olympic members also have to take in the fact of their decision in Richardson's case. If she is knocked out, A US Olympian would become 1st, making some US citizens rooting for her booting. A survey given to the USA's Olympic team showed that 1 in 4 Olympic American Athletes would root against the Chinese and Russian Olympic teams.
I believe that even though the ROC Olympian tested positive for the drug, Americans should still show respect and support for other countries' teams. Many countries look up to developed nations such as the US, Canada, France, Germany, and the UK. We need to set the bar higher than what our athletes are doing and respect others. It wouldn’t feel great if another country did that to me. We need to respect others.
Please let people know to Choose Love and be kind to others even if they did wrong.
BE KIND-HATE IS A VIRUS-TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED