The IOC denied claims from Sha'Carri Richardson that her positive drugs test was handled differently to Kamila Valieva's because she is Black

• Sha'Carri Richardson accused authorities of double standards over the handling of Kamila Valieva.
• The sprinter said her positive drugs test last year was treated differently because she is Black.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has dismissed claims from American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson that she was treated differently to Russian skater Kamila Valieva because she is Black after both tested positive for banned substances.

Richardson missed last year's Tokyo Olympics after receiving a 30-day ban for consuming cannabis. She said she had taken the drug to relieve the pain she felt over the recent death of her mother.

Meanwhile, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced Monday that Valieva, a skater for the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), would be able to continue competing at the Beijing Winter Olympics despite it being revealed that she had tested positive for a banned substance in December.

The 15-year-old tested positive for the banned drug trimetazidine — a medicine used to treat angina attacks that can also improve endurance in athletes. Valieva's lawyers said the positive test was the result of a mix-up with her grandfather's medicine.

"Can we get a solid answer on the difference of her situation and mines?" tweeted Richardson after CAS announced its decision to allow Valieva to continue competing.

"My mother died and I can't run and was also favored to place top 3. The only difference I see is I'm a black young lady."

IOC spokesman Mark Adams has since refuted Richardson's claim.

"Every single case is very different," Adams said at the IOC's daily press conference Wednesday, according to Sky Sports. "[Richardson] tested positive on June 19 [2021], quite a way ahead of the Tokyo Games.

"Her results came in early order for USADA to deal with the case on time, before the games. Ms. Richardson accepted a one month period of ineligibility which began on June 28.

"I would suggest that there isn't a great deal of similarity between the two cases."

Adams added the ruling by CAS was solely on her Valieva's continued participation in Beijing and that she could still be banned from competition over the failed test in the coming weeks.

"There will be an asterisk about the results on Friday because they will be preliminary," said Adams.

"This case has not yet concluded and the CAS have made that very clear. In fact as far as I know, the B sample hasn't even been opened, so I think drawing conclusions like this at this stage is really inappropriate."

The IOC also announced on Monday that Valieva won't be able to collect any medals until her case is fully resolved.

The youngster has already won gold in the team figure skating team event competition and is currently in the lead in the women's singles figure skating competition, which concludes on Friday.

The medal ceremony for the team event competition, which came a day before Valieva's positive test was revealed, was delayed because of the saga, while the ceremony for the singles figure skating will be cancelled if Valieva — as expected — finishes in the top three.