Swimming boss fuels explosive Mack Horton theory in Shayna Jack scandal
Swimming Australia president John Bertrand has fuelled the theory Shayna Jack’s positive doping test was leaked to the media in retaliation for Mack Horton’s podium protest.
Under strict ASADA protocols, news of a positive result can only be released by the athlete in question or by ASADA themselves.
Jack had planned to go public with the result after the world swimming championships in South Korea, however it ended up coming out during the event.
Speaking on Triple M’s Hot Breakfast, Bertrand told Eddie McGuire he believed the positive result was leaked because of political reasons.
“We believe we know who (leaked the information),” Bertrand said.
“It was certainly leaked after Mack did his thing (protest against Sun Yang) but beyond that I can’t comment.”
World swimming body FINA has previously denied leaking the news as ‘revenge’ for Horton’s actions.
Horton was one of a number of swimmers furious with FINA for allowing Sun to compete in South Korea while under a drug cloud.
The controversial Chinese star is facing a possible lifetime ban after smashing viles of his own blood with a hammer during a doping test.
“You have this thing about Sun Yang swimming while he is under this cloud because the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) are challenging a so-called FINA decision that happened a year ago,” Bertrand said.
“There is a lack of perceived transparency and a lot of innuendo, (about) who is on drugs etc, etc.
“I think the Worlds have been a huge shot across the bow of FINA — in hindsight they would have got (the issue) with Sun Yang done before worlds — bottom line is we are wanting to see major changes.”
Horton wouldn’t change podium protest
Speaking to Channel 7’s Sunday Night last week, Horton said he still would have staged his anti-doping protest if he had have known about Jack's positive test.
Horton refused to share the podium with Sun, who served a 2014 doping ban, after the triple Olympic champion was allowed to compete ahead of a hearing in September that may end his career.
Unbeknown to Horton, Jack had been sent home from the world titles team training camp after testing positive for Ligandrol, a non-steroid anabolic agent popular with bodybuilders.
"Nothing changes," Horton said when asked if he would have gone ahead with his protest if he had known.
"We are not hypocrites as long as we are enforcing what we are standing for and I think Australia is definitely standing for clean sport.
"As soon as she returns a positive sample, she's returned to Australia, she's not competing at a world championships.
"That gives me faith in the Australian system and that Australians demand clean sport and we won't let our own athletes get away with it. We can question and demand more from the world."
with AAP
