Rihanna pokes fun at the Olympics with funny response to Sha'Carri Richardson
Sha'Carri Richardson might not be in Tokyo right now getting to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, but that's not stopping the Team USA track star from living her best life.
Richardson, 21, put on an elegant sequined gown and shared a selfie in what appears to be a hotel room with her 2.2 million Instagram followers, along with the caption, "Beauty before the beast is unleashed."
While many people commented on how stunning Richardson looked in her dress, Rihanna noticed the bed in the background and couldn't help but throw some hilarious shade at the Olympics.
"yassss for the non cardboard bed," she wrote.
Rihanna was referring to the now-infamous cardboard beds that athletes sleep on in the Olympic village.
Team USA track and field athlete Paul Chelimo set off a wave of speculation when he tweeted about the beds, suggesting that they were “aimed at avoiding intimacy among athletes.” Others speculated the beds were also made to support one person to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In reality, the beds were designed before the pandemic and are made of cardboard was another way to make the Olympics more sustainable. In January 2020, Olympics organizers told the Associated Press that the beds could be recycled into paper products after the games were over.
Nevertheless, Richardson's fans loved Rihanna's subtle jab at the Olympics.
"You so petty for this comment, and I am HERE FOR IT!" one person replied.
"Sis you got RiRi in ya comments yesssssssss," another person added.
Richardson's Olympic dreams were crushed last month after she tested positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana. She agreed to serve a one-month suspension, which meant she would miss running the 100-meter race at the Olympics, where she was favored to win the gold medal. Team USA also left her off the roster for the 4x100 relay.
The decision to keep one of Team USA's biggest stars from the Olympics prompted plenty of backlash from fans who believe Richardson deserved a second chance. In an interview with TODAY, Richardson said she used marijuana when she was in "a state of emotional panic" grieving the death of her biological mother.
As the Olympics get underway in Tokyo, Beats by Dre dropped a new ad starring Richardson. The ad, which shows Richardson on the starting blocks and warming up, is set to a new song by Kanye West called "No Child Left Behind."
Richardson's decision to accept the ruling with grace and humility earned her plenty of new fans. As she told TODAY, "this is just one game."
"I’m 21. I’m 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 everything I do comes from me naturally: No steroids. … After my sanction is up, I’ll be back and ready to compete," she said.
