Anthony Mackie Calls Out Punishments of Sha-Carri Richardson & Naomi Osaka in ESPYS 2021 Monologue - Watch Now

Anthony Mackie is kicking off the 2021 ESPYS with an important message.

The 42-year-old The Falcon and The Winter Soldier actor, who served as host for the evening, opened the awards show on Saturday (July 10) by calling out the punishments of tennis star Naomi Osaka and sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson.

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If you didn’t know, Sha’Carri was barred from attending the upcoming Olympic games after she tested positive for marijuana.

“USA Track & Field: How you mess it up, dog?” Anthony said on stage. “How do you justify banning Sha’Carri Richardson for smoking weed? Weed is a de-hancing drug — it doesn’t make you do anything but want to watch another episode of Bob’s Burgers. You never saw Snoop Dogg run anywhere!”

“I don’t know how you justify not letting her run,” he added.

Anthony then went on to address Naomi being fined for skipping interviews with the media at the 2021 French Open back in May, citing mental health concerns. She later dropped out of the tournament.

“I don’t know how you punish Naomi Osaka,” Anthony said. “For prioritizing her mental health. That’s crazy. I’m no tennis exec, I don’t know, but if my sport had one of the most popular and marketable athletes on the planet, you know what I would do? I would probably make sure she felt comfortable and respected. But hey, what do I know, right? I’m just Captain America.”

You can check out all the winners from the 2021 ESPYS here.

FYI: Anthony is wearing a Louis Vuitton suit.