NSW District Lawyer Speaks Up In Defense Of Shayna Jack

Support of banned Australian swimmer Shayna Jack continues to grow, as another prominent figure has voiced his backing of the sprint star who is currently serving a 2-year doping ban.

Earlier this month we reported how United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) head Travis Tygart said the freestyle ace shouldn’t be put in the same category as intentional dopers. Now, New South Wales district court judge Paul Conlon has reportedly called Jack’s ban, as well as the subsequent appeal by Sports Institute Australia (SIA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), “a despicable unfairness.”

You can read the backstory of Jack’s situation here.

As reported by News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom, Conlon said, “What they’re (SIA and WADA) saying is that even if the athlete is able to establish to the arbitrator that the substance was in their system otherwise than by of intentional use, they don’t care because they still want to give you four years if you can’t prove the origin of the substance and how it got in your system,

“If you look at the case of a person who is legitimately innocent of intentional use, in the great majority of cases that person will have absolutely no ability to know how the substance got in their system. They are in effect being asked to prove an impossibility. That in my view ranks as a despicable unfairness to the athlete.

“What seems to be lost by Sport Integrity Australia is that this athlete (Jack) has undergone a very significant punishment having missed the world titles and the possibility of an Olympic games.

“When SIA was brought into existence in early 2020 I remember a bit of fanfare about how things would be different. However, they are demonstrating all the shortcomings for which its forerunner ASADA became well known.”

A date for SIA and WADA’s appeal against Jack is yet to be confirmed.

Also associated with this story is the fact that Jack’s legal team is reportedly in communication with their counterpart of Italian swimmer Alex di Giorgio. Di Giorgio’s original 4-year ban was reduced to just 8 months based on the determination that a prohibited substance had entered his body unintentionally.

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Gheko
3 years ago

Its obvious Shayna is not and never was a drug cheat, testing on her hair proved that, plus the tiny amount found in her sample! Its unfair that she has had to go through this when intentional cheats are getting away with far worse!

swimapologist
Reply to  Gheko
3 years ago

It’s amazing how the facts can bear out to be “obvious” in one direction for one athlete and “obvious” in another direction for another athlete, all depending on their nationality.

Gheko
Reply to  swimapologist
3 years ago

Especially if you’re Italian apparent

Gheko
Reply to  Gheko
3 years ago

Apparently

Robbos
Reply to  swimapologist
3 years ago

Yes, I agree, here we have an Australian who has been banned who missed the World championship & will miss the Olympics, while a very well known Chinese swimmer, who many in the swimming world thinks is a drug cheat, who also got banned, competed in the World championship & will most probably compete in the Olympics.
Yes being Australian stinks, nationality counts.

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Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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