It’s been almost two months since Aussie sprint star Shayna Jack revealed her positive test for banned substance Ligandrol. Since that reason for her shock withdrawal from this year’s World Championships was revealed, the 20-year-old St. Peters Western swimmer spoke to the press on one occasion, back on August 2nd, stating that, “I’m not going to stop until I prove my innocence. I’ll fight to get myself back into the pool because that’s my dream.”
Jack has been quiet ever since, with her lawyer team ‘leaving no stone unturned’ in developing the case for her defense. However, Jack took to Instagram today, September 24th, to document her progress on how the situation is taking its toll.
“Hi everyone, I know you haven’t heard from me in some time but I have been taking time to ensure my mental health is properly supported and managed, as this whole process has been a test on its strength. I’d like to thank the people who have, from day one, been by my side and supported me without a doubt. Although he can’t talk I am so grateful my boy Hugo entered my life during this time to give me unconditional love and cuddles when I couldn’t stop crying.
Jack continues,“I have found that I am struggling most with accepting the current situation, how much it has not only impacted my swimming career but my everyday life. Additionally, how long the process will be before I get any final information. I have not yet received the letter of infraction and have been told that I won’t for up to another 10 weeks and to make things harder I’ve been informed that I could be waiting another 9 months from now till I get a finalised hearing.
“My team are doing everything they can to fast track this process but it’s so hard when we aren’t in control of how and when things happen. I made a promise to myself that I would never stop fighting for my dream as an Australian Dolphin or my character as I know I have, nor will I ever take a drug of any kind intentionally.”
You can refresh yourself on the overall timeline that has unfolded with Jack’s case thus far below, but she mentions above that she could be waiting another 9 months until she gets a finalized hearing. 9 months ahead would put Jack’s hearing in the June 2020 timeframe, a good 12 months after the date of her positive test.
As we reported on July 30th, Jack had been sent a letter from ASADA outlining the process for reducing a ban and the sentencing guidelines. Under the latest anti-doping guidelines, which took effect in 2016, all first time doping failures face a maximum 4-year ban. By proving some degree of unintentional ingestion in the eyes of the sanctioning body, the athlete can reduce the ban to 2 years.
Shayna Jack Timeline:
- June 26th – Date of the doping test.
- July 14th – Via her personal Instagram account, Jack announces her shock withdrawal from the World Championships, despite having traveled and practicing with the Aussie squad at their staging camp.
- July 27th – Again via her personal Instagram account, Jack, reveals her positive doing test, but does not explain the substance involved, nor the fact that both the A and B samples were positive.
- July 27th – Swimming Australia releases an official comment on Jack, but does not disclose the substance involved. CEO Leigh Russell stated, “under the specific legislation governing Australia‘s drug-testing regime, Swimming Australia is notified of any adverse test result as is WADA and FINA. Under the process, all details are required to remain confidential until ASADA has completed its investigations, the athlete is afforded due process and an outcome determined.”
- July 28th – Jack announces via Instagram that she tested positive for Ligandrol. Also known as selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) LGD-4033, was originally developed for the treatment of muscle wasting conditions such as aging, osteoporosis, muscular dystrophy and cancer, is promoted as a selective non-steroidal anabolic agent. (Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority).
- July 28th – Former ASADA head Richard Ings questions the handling of informing the public by Swimming Australia, saying “If Swimming Australia is suggesting that their anti-doping policy, approved by ASADA, forbids them from announcing the Jack provisional suspension, they are wrong.”
- Aussie Head Coach Jacco Verhaeren also speaks, saying, “We are not trying to cover anything up. We don’t play a game. She’s [Jack] not here [in Gwangju] and it shows that the Australian system works.”
- July 29th – Jack suspended from ISL pending outcome of anti-doping proceedings.
- August 2nd – Jack, along with her lawyer and mother, attends an over-four meet with ASADA. At a press conference immediately after the meeting, Jack says ‘Swimming Australia has been nothing but supportive’ and that she and SA are ‘a unit’.
- Jack’s lawyer stated that they would be receiving a letter from ASADA in the next 4-6 weeks, but he and the rest of Jack’s team will ‘leave no stone unturned’ in its investigation of what led to Jack’s positive test.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2yUhHfAa9S/
given shayna jack’s troubles, im still hoping Australia can find a fast 4th cog alongside bronte cate and emma for Tokyo Olympics… for that 4×100 relay defense
Bri Throssell and Madi Wilson have called to say hello
Also Molly O’Callaghan & Meg Harris, who knows what they can achieve in a year’s improvement.
those two are good but we need faster cogs if theyre to hold off the Americans and Canadians come Tokyo… no 53s splits in Tokyo I reckon for the gold
That’s what I’m thinking too. Throssel seems to have a better trajectory than Madison at the moment. Maybe she can dip under 53 next year after her 53.3 at worlds?
It seems really unlikely Harris or O’Callaghan will be ready before Tokyo but you never know with the young swimmers.
We could also win if all the 3 big guns fire in peak form at the same time but they’ve never managed that in the relay otherwise the WR would be much lower already.
She should just declare herself Chinese, then she can get a backdated 3 month suspension that is already over.
She already has ppl attacking her regardless of the preliminary verdict . . Im not understanding why AsDA needs another 10 weeks to outline their case. .
Aussie Trials are less than 9 months away, so it sounds like her only chance of competing is an expedited (and favorable) hearing.
She took a SARM, it’s a pretty closed case.
Travis Tygart outlined several cases of the same substance where USA penalty was only 3 months. based on successful contaminarion appeals . (NBA iirc .).
I wonder how quickly the appeals process operated in the US given that 9 months + 2 passed already is a lot more than 3 months?
Well that’s Jack’d up….
Ngl that sounds rather genuine. i wont make my mind up about this case yet