“There’s so much that goes into it” – When Allyson Felix spoke about Sha’Carri Richardson’s disqualification from the Olympics

Legendary US sprinter Allyson Felix bade adieu to track and field this year. The icon ran her last race at the World Championships in Oregon, running in the mixed 4x400m and women's 4x400m relays.

The Tokyo Olympics in 2021 marked her final appearance in the Olympic arena. In Tokyo, she established herself as the most decorated US track and field athlete in Olympic history (11 medals), going ahead of Carl Lewis (10).

Last year, Felix came on the talk show 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' to discuss her Olympic experience and talk about her athletic show brand, 'Saysh' with guest host and ESPN commentator, Stephen A. Smith.

After much discussion about the Olympics and sneakers, Smith asked Felix what message she would send to US sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson after she was not included in the Olympic team as her suspension coincided with the Games.

Richardson won the women's 100m at the US Olympic Trials in Oregon. However, she tested positive for THC, an intoxicant found in marijuana. The use of cannabis is banned for in-competition use only by WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency).

After her positive test results, the 21-year-old was handed a 30-day suspension and was excluded from the Tokyo Olympics. She told NBC's Today Show that she used marijuana to deal with "emotional panic" after a reporter told her about her biological mother's death.

Richardson also later clarified that she knew about doping rules and accepted the consequences of breaking them.

When asked what message Allyson Felix would send to Richardson, the legend replied:

"I know that she's obviously been through so much and I hope that she's just supported. I hope people rally around her. Obviously she has a great personality and she's brought a lot of attention to the sport and I think she'll be in the sport for a very long time,"

She further added:

"I think just more than anything, for all athletes, there's so much that goes into it. Just give her the support that she needs,"

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"When I wanted to start a family, I wasn't supported by my sponsor" - Allyson Felix

Allyson Felix and daughter, Camryn (Credits: Patrick Smith / Getty Images)

Allyson Felix is one of the greatest athletes in track and field. Her decision to walk away from long-time sponsor Nike for treating her with disrespect after maternity received widespread attention.

Felix had said that Nike was unsupportive during her pregnancy and slashed her pay by 70 percent. She wrote about the difficult time with the company in a 2019 op-ed in The New York Times.

"Despite all my victories, Nike wanted to pay me 70 percent less than before. If that’s what they think I’m worth now, I accept that. What I’m not willing to accept is the enduring status quo around maternity,"

After the public outcry that followed these revelations, Nike announced a new maternity policy.

Allyson Felix gave birth to daughter Camryn in 2018. She had an extremely difficult delivery as she had to undergo an emergency C-section at just 32 weeks due to severe pre-eclampsia that threatened the lives of both her and her daughter.

During her appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' last year, Allyson Felix was asked by guest host and ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith how her recent couple of years were and what she had to go through.

Felix answered:

"Well, I had a really difficult time when I wanted to start a family. I wasn't supported by my sponsor. I had a very difficult birth experience with my daughter. I suffered from a very severe case of pre-eclampsia and we weren't sure what the outcome of that was going to be. So, to go from not sure if you are going to make it to at the Olympic Games with a whole lot in between, I just feel so blessed."

Now that the legend has retired, she will be sorely missed on the track.