'Cage of lies': Para-athlete's explosive new claims against Swimming Australia
Fresh from the Shayna Jack doping scandal, Swimming Australia is at the centre of disturbing new allegations from a former para-swimmer.
Ashleigh Cockburn claims some athletes fake the extent of their disability to earn selection on Australia's para teams.
The former para-swimmer says the deceit is widespread in swimming, describing it as a “cage of lies”.
"I witnessed intentional misrepresentation become not only accepted but expected," Cockburn wrote on the news.com.au website.
"Throughout my career, I heard athletes casually mention how they had been thrown in the snow prior to classification so their muscles and joints were far stiffer than usual or how they'd been instructed by someone higher up to 'throw on a limp' during testing.
"Others bound their limbs to restrict flexibility, strength and fine motor skills or pushed themselves to physical exhaustion just before the test in order to reduce stamina and power.
"There were also athletes who had previously competed as able-bodied who borrowed a disability for classification."
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Cockburn said cerebral palsy was the most commonly abused condition.
"Some coaches allegedly train their athletes to move in a way that mimics the symptoms of the condition, for example by clenching a fist while swimming or kicking with a single leg," she wrote.
Cockburn cited three unnamed para-swimmers as backing her claims.
"These athletes watch on as rivals compete against and beat legitimately-impaired athletes, break various records and claim taxpayer-funded grants, scholarships and sponsorships," Cockburn wrote.
Paralympic committee refutes claims
The Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) has been contacted for comment.
The APC said in a statement included in Cockburn's article that there was "no substantive evidence has been uncovered" of the deceit.
The APC statement said any such faking was contrary to the spirit of para-sport and rated alongside doping as the most serious offences in the Paralympic movement.
"Any suggestion that the APC has condoned cheating, has any knowledge of misconduct related to classification or is involved in such misconduct is refuted in the strongest possible terms," the APC statement said.
"No substantive evidence has been uncovered in the eyes of the multiple organisations that have been contacted, including the IPC (International Paralympic Committee), APC, other national and international sporting bodies, government departments and the media that have each investigated these allegations to varying degrees.
"Any new information received is always given due and immediate consideration."
Jack’s career hanging by a thread
The stunning new claims come at the worst-possible time for Swimming Australia.
Jack will on Friday meet with Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) after testing positive for a banned drug banned drug Ligandrol, a muscle growth agent, at a swim camp ahead of the world championships in South Korea.
Jack withdrew from the world titles, initially citing personal reasons, only for her positive drugs test to be leaked to media last weekend.
She faces a four-year ban from competition - the standard penalty for a doping violation involving anabolic agents such as Ligandrol.
Jack will argue she didn't knowingly take the drug - if she can prove her argument to ASADA, the length of ban might be reduced.
She has already been banned from the rich International Swimming League as she prepares to fight her case.
with AAP