Shayna Jack ‘incredibly shaken’ by cyber attack

Banned Aussie swimmer Shayna Jack was seriously rattled by a cyber attack that threatened her so pay money or face the consequences.

Shayna Jack’s lawyer says the Australian swimmer has been left shaken by a cyber attack as she prepares to appeal her four-year ban for a doping violation.

Tim Fuller said the 21-year-old was forced to contact Queensland police after she received threats and demands for money on Facebook on Monday before her account was hacked the next day.

“She has been incredibly shaken by it. It was over a period of 36 to 40 hours,” Fuller told 4BC Radio.

“It got to the stage where the types of threats and demands entered into some very serious territory … that is why she contacted those authorities.”

Fuller said Jack was obligated to also contact the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which will host her appeal hearing on a confidential date, due to the risk of her case being prejudiced by the cyber attack.

“It’s a reasonable time out from the hearing but it was very targeted … and incredibly invasive,” he said.

“In her case anything that is publicised … it can potentially put her in violation of the Court of Arbitration for Sport rules.”

Jack deleted her Instagram account and employed an IT specialist to help secure her personal details before announcing on Facebook on Tuesday night: “Everyone I am back!

“It has been a long and stressful two days of trying to outsmart this person.

“Fingers crossed I no longer have to deal with this and that I can get my stuff back and protect my information.”

Shayna Jack just wants to get back in the pool.

Fuller said Jack was hit hard by the cyber attack as she prepared for her appeal hearing after copping the ban from the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) in March. She received the maximum suspension for a first doping offence.

Jack has protested her innocence since being stood down from the Australian team in the lead-up to the 2019 world titles in July last year before it emerged she had tested positive to Ligandrol, a muscle-growth agent.

A member of Australia’s world record-breaking 4x100m freestyle relay team, Jack has claimed the banned substance could have got into her system by contamination.

However, since she was stood down almost a year ago Swimming Australia have been forced to cut ties with Jack, who is still hopeful of contesting the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.

“This is the problem with this anti-doping policy in this country. If you are a swimmer, the day you are handed an infraction notice you are supposed to be ostracised — you are terminated from the team,” Fuller said.

“If you are an AFL player you can continue to train with the team, you can continue to be paid.

“For a young person it is an incredibly difficult situation. Something has to change in that respect.”

The 21-year-old is hopeful of overturning her doping ban. Picture: Instagram/Marceau photography.