Mystery remains in fallout from Aussie swim star Shayna Jack’s ‘nightmare’

Aussie swim star Shayna Jack is allowed to return to the pool but questions remain in the wake of her banned substance saga.

Aussie swim star Shayna Jack still doesn’t know how she came into contact with the banned substance that forced her out of the pool for more than two years.

In July 2019, Jack tested positive for ligandrol, an experimental drug that can help boost muscle mass. She was initially banned from racing for four years, but had her suspension cut in half in November last year.

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The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) challenged the leniency of the two-year ban, but their appeal was dismissed last week, paving the way for Jack’s return to the pool.

Jack’s nightmare may now be over, but speaking on Monday’s episode of Today, the 22-year-old said she was still unclear as to how ligandrol came to be in her system.

“I definitely haven’t got to the bottom, exactly,” she said.

“But I was able to prove that on the scale of probability, where it potentially could’ve come from, being around gyms and airports and all those kinds of things that were out of my normal routine, that I had no control over.

“It’s actually quite scary for myself, to know that I actually couldn’t find it.

“So going forward, I’m very strict with how I do things and making sure that I’m on top of making sure that this doesn’t happen again to myself or anybody else.”

Jack has always maintained she did not ingest the substance knowingly.

“I think for myself, it was just knowing that I did nothing wrong and that I was going to get through this and prove to everybody that I would never intentionally take anything,” she said.

“It’s not just about me, it’s about the future athletes that come after me.”

Jack (L) won gold as part of Australia’s women's 4x100m freestyle final team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games (AAP Image/Darren England)

The Commonwealth Games gold-medallist said she was relieved to have put the saga behind her.

“I think the biggest feedback I’ve seen from anybody who I’ve met or caught up with has been that they’ve noticed I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face,” she said.

“I obviously have been training for the past couple of months but knowing that I don’t have any of those legal fees or court cases to continue with, it’s just nice to be able to focus back on my swimming completely.

“It was a very, very difficult two years. But I did have a really good support system around me, being my partner and my family and friends. And even my coach as well, my squad, they were all really, really helpful throughout.”

Jack had not been permitted to swim while the WADA/SIA appeal was ongoing, so was unable to compete at the Tokyo Games, which would have been her first Olympics.

She is now turning her attention to preparing for next year’s Australian Swimming Championships and Commonwealth Games, as well as at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“I am tougher, I am stronger mentally and physically. It’s now just letting me do what I do best and swim,” she said.

“There’s a massive year next year, which I’m really looking forward to.”