Although no actual date for her Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing was cited, Aussie Shayna Jack released a comprehensive statement on her personal Instagram account today regarding what lies ahead.
“Now the real fight begins,” is how the 21-year-old sprinter started out her lengthy post, continuing that, “Today I received further notice in relation to my hearing at CAS.
“Nearly twelve months ago, my world was turned upside down due to allegations of using a prohibited substance in my sport. Despite a lifetime of competing clean and knowing that I had not used any prohibited substance, my life changed in an instance (sic) and I was pitchforked into an unknown world of lawyers, politics and machinations that was completely foreign to me.”
As a refresher on the case, the 21-year old sprinter from Brisbane returned home to Australia in the middle of the country’s final preparation camp for the 2019 World Aquatics Championships, at the time saying that her withdrawal was for “personal reasons.” It was later revealed that Jack had tested positive for the banned substance Ligandrol.
Jack’s four-year ban is the maximum allowed for a first offence and implies that not only was she unable to prove a source of contamination but that she was unable to convince ASADA that her ingestion was accidental.
We previously reported that although she did not testify before ASADA, Jack is expected to take the stand whenever it is her case is heard by CAS.
You can read Jack’s full statement below and we will provide an update as soon as the CAS hearing date is known.
“Now the real fight begins. Today I received further notice in relation to my hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Nearly twelve months ago, my world was turned upside down due to allegations of using a prohibited substance in my sport. Despite a lifetime of competing clean and knowing that I had not used any prohibited substance, my life changed in an instance and I was pitchforked into an unknown world of lawyers, politics and machinations that was completely foreign to me. The process has been extremely arduous and debilitating at times.
There are many aspects of the anti-doping system that are seriously flawed but possibly the worst element is the presumption of guilt that one has to bear. What sort of system infers that you are guilty of an alleged breach and the responsibility falls on you to prove your innocence?
Now though, I have an opportunity to stand and fight for my career and reputation. I intend to win this fight and put myself back in the pool and reclaim my position as a member of the Australian swim team. Everyone knows what it is like to have something precious taken away from them and I am no different.
However, regaining my team membership and opportunity to competitively swim again is not my sole objective. Throughout this ordeal, I have learnt a considerable amount about myself. I learnt that the purest pursuit for me was my sport of swimming. I learnt that my individuality and uniqueness was the grounds for my underlying strength. I became acutely aware of my residual determination and my absolute and all-encompassing desire for the truth to be revealed. My understanding of the value of positive mental health and the benefits of a strong and positive mind was reinforced. My belief in who I am and what I stand for was fortified and my understanding of how my message is one to be shared with others was cemented.
Not everyone will fight a flawed system and find themselves ostracised from their friends and support group for something they did not do. If you do though, stand up and fight and know that your honour will always be defended if you tell the truth.”
She is not giving us any reason to be believe she is innocent. Just rambling on about how she is getting screwed over by a corrupt system.
In my mind when swimmers default to that I just assume they’re actually guilty
Which lab conducted the test?
I haven’t been able to find which lab did the testing; however, it was a WADA-accredited lab, the sample was taken in Cairns, and the only WADA-accredited lab in Australia is in Sydney, so unless they flew it to Bangkok (next closest lab, 6,000km away), Sydney seems the logical answer.
Well, Jack can’t blame a foreign power, i.e. China. I do not see the line of defense in this case.
A lot of emotive words from Ms Jack but trying to create “straw men” representing forces out to repress her “poor little persecuted self” smells more than a little of desperation to me ….. rather than convincing me of her innocence.
Do I think she’s a systematic doper ….. no but it seems a fairly clear case of carelessness with regards to the use of dietary supplements. AUS sportspeople, especially in Olympic sports, DO receive repeated education with regards to what you put in their systems but its seems it didn’t quite register with Ms Jack.
She copped a maximum sentence and that may seem harsh, especially for a first offence but, given that it is clearly set out that… Read more »
Yet, the Australian swimmers are awfully vocal about the Chinese swimmers.
Lets not get facts in the way of your comment.
I’ll help, Australian swimmers (Mack Horton) was áwfully vocal of Chinese swimmers (Sun Yang), who has had a previous drug conviction & was hushed hushed & then was under inquiry for smashing Drug testing Blood vials but was allowed to swim & to win gold medals.
Australian swimmers were not vocal of Shanya Jack because she is not swimming as the crime prohibits this, unlike Sun Yang.
Facts never bothered some of these commentators , that’s for sure .
And we caught someone we went in like a ton of bricks , dropped them from the WC Team and gave them 4 years….
I’m just a patsy!
Well she’s not revealing much how she’s going to tackle this ban.. but from her fighting words she seems convinced that she has enough evidence to back up her defence.. we shall see what CAS has to say.
This is just my opinion but I do not think she would knowingly take it being aware of what at stake. Then again, no one seems to be able to prove it one way or another…I also know that if she did not knowingly take it she must feel terrible about this situation
mind to share the reasoning behind the opinion?
She knew very well she will be tested, she knew Australia as a nation is all in for clean sport and strongly oppose doping. At the end I did state this was just my opinion without any facts to back it up.
People are willing to cheat regardless of what is at stake all the time.
She wouldn’t be the only one on the Australian team, just the only one who got caught.
I agree. Question is how did it happen? Hope all turns out well for her and she can move on. Total bravery for having to deal with huge issues…she sounds strong and is continuing to fight the battle.
It was Chinese spies in retaliation to the Sun Yang accusations.