'Secrets and lies': Explosive twist in Shayna Jack doping scandal
Swimming Australia is facing fresh questions about why they didn’t go public with Shayna Jack’s positive drug test sooner, after the swimmer revealed she’d also failed her B sample.
Jack had been sent home from the world titles team training camp in Japan after initially failing a drug test on June 26.
She sensationally revealed via social media on Sunday that her B sample had also tested positive on July 19 for Ligandrol, a non-steroid anabolic agent popular with bodybuilders.
Russell said confidentiality required by SA's agreement with national anti-doping body ASADA didn't allow it to reveal Jack's initial positive test.
However Jack’s revelation on Sunday that she actually received her B sample results before the world championships kicked off has sparked more anger among the Australian public.
A number of journos have taken to social media to question why SA didn’t come clean about the real reason Jack wasn’t in South Korea.
It was originally announced that Jack had left training camp for ‘personal reasons’.
It led to the awkward situation where the few SA officials who knew of Jack's positive test could only look on silently as Olympic champion Mack Horton launched an anti-doping protest, completely oblivious of the fact his former teammate had tested positive.
Jessica Halloran of The Daily Telegraph said there were “too many secrets and lies” in the saga, while Channel 9 sports reporter Neil Breen said “the whole thing stinks”.
This Shayna Jack positive drug test story is getting worse by the hour.
Too many secrets and lies.
A B sample returned positive nine days ago.
A lot of taxpayer dollars go towards this sport - think we all deserved to know what was going on.— Jessica Halloran (@JessiHalloran) July 28, 2019
So Shayna Jack gets her B Sample result on July 19 - 9 days ago.
Yet Swimming Australia today hid behind privacy for not informing public earlier?? Wow - this whole thing stinks. She had her B Sample two days before Horton’s protest. This is why public do not trust Olympic sports— Neil Breen (@breenie9) July 28, 2019
Amazing. It should have been made public in July 19. The attempt of stage management should see heads roll at swimming aust https://t.co/6MxaLWpqOc
— Chris Roots (@ChrisRoots1) July 28, 2019
Jack says her B result came back on 19 July, nine days ago. Wonder at what point Australian Swimming was going to say something? https://t.co/bj3qMZtYkg
— Jacquelin Magnay (@jacquelinmagnay) July 28, 2019
Swimming expert Todd Balym said: “Surely after a B sample positive on July 19 they should both be compelled to go public immediately?”
“Just read the part where it said within 20 days … wonder if it was requested or suggested they wait until after competition is over to save international embarrassment. And it backfired.”
Former ASADA boss Richard Ings added: “Swimming Australia seem a little out of their depth on this matter.”
Ings then doubled down on The Project on Sunday night.
“It’s certainly a valuable lesson for Swimming Australia and ASADA,” he said.
“Sports globally do announce provisional suspensions because you can’t keep a secret when a top, famous athlete suddenly disappears from competition.
“I hope the rules change to allow ASADA and Swimming Australia to make announcements in future.”
After one of our swimmers took a stand on doping, it turns out we’ve been chucking rocks from inside of a big ol’ glass house. Do you think Australians have double standards when it comes to doping? pic.twitter.com/7VvaWeg7vE
— The Project (@theprojecttv) July 28, 2019
Swimming Australia stands by stance
Speaking to Channel Nine on Monday morning, Russell said the positive B sample didn’t change their stance because Jack still hadn’t gone public.
Russell had only referred to an A sample when she addressed the media on Sunday to slam Jack's positive test as "bitterly disappointing and embarrassing for the national swimming team, the sport and the country".
Russell also indicated they were still waiting on the B test.
She said confidentiality required by SA's agreement with national anti-doping body ASADA didn't allow them to reveal either of Jack’s sample results.
‘We’re not able to go public with any information until ASADA or the athlete in question makes any public comment,” she said on The Today Show.
“It absolutely would have been so much easier for us to be transparent about the adverse test finding.
“That might be a conversation we’ll have to have at a later stage with the relevant authorities.”
Swimming Australia CEO Leigh Russell answers the question about whether there was a cover up over Shayna Jack's positive test.
Via @TheTodayShow#9WWOS #ShaynaJack #FINA pic.twitter.com/t32qeSt2iE— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) July 28, 2019
Russell said Jack had been planning to reveal the A sample positive test after the world titles ended on Sunday so it would not be a distraction for the Dolphins.
Australia head coach Jacco Verhaeren did not believe Jack's positive test had tarnished Horton's protest message and claimed the Olympic champion would still have done it if he knew about Jack's test.
"The question is going to be asked 'should he have done that?'," Verhaeren said in Gwangju.
"I think yes because that is a totally different subject as well. This is about someone standing up for clean sport and we still do that.
"If the meet started tomorrow with this knowledge he would stand there again and if I could I would stand next to him."
Horton told Seven Network Jack's positive test hadn't changed his stance.
"I was disappointed to learn late yesterday that a fellow Dolphins team member had recently returned a positive A sample," he said.
"I applaud the decision to immediately withdraw the athlete in question from further competition until this matter is resolved.
"My position remains firm - clean sport must be a priority for all athletes, all sports and all nations."
with AAP
