Swimming Australia has been accused of exposing the country to “global ridicule” following accusations of an attempt to cover up Aussie swim star Shayna Jack’s positive doping test in the lead up to the 2019 Swimming World Championships in Gwangju.

Australian relay world-record holder Jack denied wrongdoing on Saturday night after she failed a drugs test and was sent home from Australia’s swimming camp in Japan earlier this month.

The 20-year-old, part of Australia’s 4x100m freestyle team that set a world record at last year’s Commonwealth Games, failed an out-of-competition test late last month and has been suspended, Swimming Australia has confirmed.

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The ugly nature of Jack’s positive test being revealed during the Swimming World Championships after Aussie star Mack Horton’s public protest of controversial Chinese swimmer Sun Yang has left Swimming Australia and Horton open to global ridicule.

Having last week been celebrated as a posterboy in the fight to stamp out doping from the sport, Horton has been left hung out to dry by his teammate’s test — and the disastrous appearance of Swimming Australia’s alleged attempt to cover it up.

Swimming Australia on Saturday night was accused of stabbing Horton and other Aussie swimmers in the back by failing to notify them of Jack’s failed test, despite Jack testing positive on June 26, a full three weeks before the start of the meet.

If Swimming Australia are suggesting that their anti doping policy, approved by ASADA, forbids them from announcing the Jack provisional suspension, they are wrong



14.3.1 permits Swimming Australia to go public. https://t.co/pyeOgcccZM pic.twitter.com/2vC0CZYnXq — Richard Ings (@ringsau) July 27, 2019

Swimming Australia let Horton make his global stance, knowing Jack’s bombshell was going to blow up in his face.

In response to widespread anger and criticism of Swimming Australia’s handling of the crisis, the governing body released a statement declaring it was bound by legal demands to keep Jack’s preliminary positive test result classified until its investigation into the situation was concluded.

This statement was also accused of being a lie, allegedly deepening the stench of a cover up in the eyes of some Aussie swim commentators.

Former Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) chief Richard Ings was among the first to point out Swimming Australia had authority to release Jack’s preliminary positive test — but chose to keep it under wraps.

SWIMMING AUSTRALIA’S STATEMENT TORN TO SHREDS

Swimming Australia confirmed on Saturday night Jack had tested positive to a banned substance on June 26.

“Once Swimming Australia was made aware of the adverse test result, it immediately took action — in accordance with the national policy — to provisionally suspend Shayna from the Australian swim team while a process was under way and accompanied her back to Australia from a training camp being held in Japan,” the statement claimed.

“The Swimming Australia policy also means that any Australian athlete under provisional suspension, while ASADA investigations are under way, cannot take part in any competition, meaning Shayna was unable to travel to Gwangju to compete at the 2019 World Championships.”

That costly decision not to announce the findings has left Horton and Australian sport with egg all over its face.

The cone of silence that Swimming Australia is accused of using to handle Jack’s scandal reached all the way down to coaches and athletes who were forced to declare they had no knowledge of the reason behind Jack’s decision to leave the team on the eve of the competition.

Swimming Australia officials also said they were unaware of the reason behind Jack’s withdrawal, despite the 20-year-old being stood down weeks prior to the meet.

Chinese media were among the first to mock Australia’s reputation on the global stage, which has been torn to pieces by the handling of Jack’s positive test.

Former USA swimming coach Alex Pussieldi was also among those to declare it a bad look for Australia.

First of all, we all want clear sport and transparency. Second an appeal to CAS/TAS doesnt classified as a pending case as Shayna Jack who still havent her Panel Doing yet, and third @SwimmingAUS didnt play the clear game on holding the info to the staff and team. Was bad! — Coach Alex Pussieldi (@alexpussieldi) July 27, 2019

Worse than that. Swimming Australia lied about the reason

Shayna Jack withdrew from the world championships.

Trying to cover up a positive test is hardly being a model, anti-doping citizen. They’ve done themselves and Jack no favours. — Chip Le Grand (@Melbchief) July 27, 2019

Australian swimmers take the moral high ground on #SunYang's past doping problem. But now Aussie swimmer Shayna Jack has been tested positive. But hey, let's keep that buried #FINA #FINAGwangju2019 — Hsin-Yi Lo (@hsinyilo) July 27, 2019

And now Australia makes headlines globally for an issue that Mack Horton would suggest is wholly Chinese.



Glass houses Mack. https://t.co/dhxvQHnoIN — Richard Ings (@ringsau) July 27, 2019

Former journalist and South Australian politician Frank Pangallo wrote on Twitter: “Oh dear. This isn’t a good look for our country & team after the Horton episode”.

Far more concerning than accusations of an attempt to hide behind a legal demand to keep Jack’s test private, is accusations Swimming Australia deliberately chose a strategy of covering up the scandal — just as it was accused of doing in during the Stilnox scandal following the 2012 Olympics in London.

They have had inquires and clean outs but @DolphinsAUS just don’t learn say nothing about stillnox scandal .. and it blows up ...Shayna Jack “personal problems” give me strength !! Fess up and move forward !! @9NewsAUS — Damian Ryan (@DamoNews) July 27, 2019

Can only imagine the fury of John Coates right now regarding swim team doping cover up. AOC’s huge anger at stilnox scandal was the cover up by officials. History now repeats. No lessons learned. Questions will be asked. — Todd Balym (@balymt) July 27, 2019

Former News Corp swimming journalist Todd Balym wrote on Twitter Swimming Australia’s “s***storm” has left the country wide open to ridicule.

He also said Horton and his fellow athletes have every right to be furious at Swimming Australia for the betrayal of leaving them in the dark.

It is a terrible look that Australian swim team head coach Jacco Verhaeren has not yet fronted the media re; Shanya’s positive test.



Now is the time for transparency.



Don’t just leave it up to your classy athletes like Cate Campbell to do the talking in Korea. — Jessica Halloran (@JessiHalloran) July 27, 2019

If Swim Aust were honest from day one, yes there would be damaging headlines but they would’ve occurred before competition, before protests & not impacted racing athletes. Now it’s a shitstorm, it’s looks like a cover up & whoever is responsible or knew is to blame. — Todd Balym (@balymt) July 27, 2019

Shock. Sadness. But more than anything, furious that any Australian official who knew this before world titles either covered it up when asked by media or allowed team to ‘protest’ others without letting own teammates know the truth. https://t.co/m67DOuDGNp — Todd Balym (@balymt) July 27, 2019

Shayna Jack will be dealt with by the anti-doping officials & due process will decide her fate. But an immediate investigation must be done by Swim Aust to decide who knew what & when which left the team & athletes exposed to global ridicule. — Todd Balym (@balymt) July 27, 2019

When the Sunday Tele published the Sun Yang report on the eve of world titles the Aust swim team officials should’ve pulled all athletes in for a team meeting & explained the Jack situation to them. If they were left in the dark, they were let down badly. They should be furious. — Todd Balym (@balymt) July 27, 2019

Holy shit this is HUUUUGGEE news. Australia’s moral high ground has officially disappeared. https://t.co/9BQ99rmvn1 — Todd Balym (@balymt) July 27, 2019

Shayna Jack deserves the presumption of innocence and due process, the hierarchy at Swimming Australia who covered up the reason for her departure from camp do not. Credibility approaching zero! — David Lyall (@davidlyall) July 27, 2019

CHINA RESPONDS TO AUSTRALIAN ‘EMBARRASSMENT’

Chinese media has reported Jack’s preliminary positive doping test as revenge for Sun Yang following Horton’s podium protest last week.

One media organisation even said Jack’s test was divine intervention.

“Revenge has come so quick. God is helping Sun Yang,” the outlet reported.

‘Revenge has come so quick!’ ‘God is is helping Sun Yang’ - Chinese media wastes no time enjoying Australian swimmer Shayna Jack’s banned substance test. Imagine if it was Mack Horton... pic.twitter.com/RyuevODb5l — Bill Birtles (@billbirtles) July 27, 2019

Just been approached for comment in the Main Press Centre from some Chinese journalists who suddenly have a spring in their step and a smile on their face. And so it begins. — Phil Lutton (@phillutton78) July 27, 2019

The first positive test related to the Gwangju world championships is embarrassing for Australian swimming after Olympic champion Mack Horton’s protest against Chinese rival Sun Yang in Gwangju over salacious claims he smashed vials of blood following a test last year.

American media also described the situation as an embarrassment for Australia.

Horton came second to Sun in the men’s 400m freestyle event last Sunday, then refused to acknowledge his Chinese competitor, who he has previously called a “drug cheat.”

Sun received a three-month ban after testing positive for a banned substance in 2014, and is facing renewed allegations with his fate to be decided at a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing where the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will challenge FINA’s decision to hand Yang a warning instead of issuing a suspension.

Australia’s Horton took a highly visible stance when he snubbed Sun at a medals ceremony, provoking a furious reaction from China’s 11-time world champion, who accused him of “disrespecting China” by not stepping on the podium.

Britain’s Duncan Scott copied Horton after Sun retained his 200m freestyle title and several swimmers, including King and fellow Olympic champion Adam Peaty, spoke out in support of the two.

But Sun’s coach Denis Cotterell slammed his fellow Australians for “double standards”, noting Horton’s Australian teammate Thomas Fraser-Holmes was banned by FINA for 12 months for missing a trio of drug tests.

Jack’s failed test will now supply Sun and China with plenty of ammunition to shoot back.

Swimming World Magazine reported “the explosive revelation could hardly come at a worse time for Australian swimmers in a week in which Mack Horton and others have been so vocal and visible in their criticism, with others from around the world, of Sun Yang and any who fall foul of the WADA Code”.

The difference between Jack being sent home pending the final verdict to her doping test while Sun Yang has been allowed to compete, despite a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing looming in September, has also not ben lost on some commentators.

Many said Swimming Australia’s decision to send Jack home is exactly what China should have done with Sun Yang.

More drama from Worlds with a positive test from an Aussie swimmer. Some saying worst time amongst protests from Horton et al.



I think it highlights the issue though - Shayna was (rightly) suspended from comp with a verdict pending, compared to Sun competing through his appeal. — Lizzie Simmonds (@LizzieSimmonds1) July 27, 2019

Sun Yang has been convicted. Shayna Jack still under investigation. It’s a distinct legal difference. If convicted she will be referred to in the same way. A drug cheat is a drug cheat regardless of nationality. — Mick Carroll (@sundayteleed) July 27, 2019

JACK REVEALS HEARTBREAK AT DOPING TEST

Jack, who returned home days before the start of the world championships in South Korea citing “personal reasons”, denied deliberately taking a banned substance.

“I did not take this substance knowingly,” Jack posted on Instagram. “Swimming has been my passion since I was 10 years old and I would never intentionally take a banned substance that would disrespect my sport or jeopardise my career.”

But American Lilly King savaged the swimmer later on Saturday. “She’s a drug cheater,” sniffed the Olympic champion. “She has tested positive on a drugs test — doping is doping.” Australian officials ushered Jack back to Australia from a world championship training camp in Japan after the results of the June 26 test and gave her a provisional suspension, Swimming Australia said.

Relay teammate Cate Campbell said: “I had absolutely no knowledge of this before tonight. We stand for a clean sport and I think the fact that Shayna isn’t here strengthens that stance.” Swimming Australia chief executive Leigh Russell expressed sadness at Jack’s failed test.

“As you would expect, we are bitterly disappointed with allegations a swimmer has a prohibited substance in her system although it is important to point out that the matter is yet to be determined,” she said.

“We will continue to provide appropriate support for Shayna. Our organisation will continue to reaffirm our zero tolerance approach.

Jack’s agent Phil Stoneman said Jack’s test was kept quiet because she didn’t want to distract teammates.

“She would have liked to have come out with this but she would have preferred to have waited in relation to the announcement because she didn’t want to take away from the achievements of the team,” he said.

“She supports Mack in his situation, she certainly understand her position but she feels that she’s now going to be tarnished with somebody else and she’s done absolutely nothing wrong.

“She’s not a drug taker, she’s not a cheat and she never has been and now she’s going to be accused of something she hasn’t done.”

—with AFP