Sport Integrity Australia to challenges Shayna Jack doping appeal verdict

Shayna Jack claimed she’d been proven innocent when her doping ban was reduced on appeal — but her fight is far from over.

Sport Integrity Australia are appealing the Court of Arbitration’s decision to hand Shayna Jack a two-year doping violation ban.

Jack’s four-year doping ban was slashed in half last month when the CAS agreed she was no drug cheat.

The SIA appeal was lodged on Monday in the Court of Arbitration for Sport Appeal Division.

Sport Integrity Australia CEO David Sharpe said the decision to appeal is based on the need for clarity on key anti-doping legal principles.

“Sport Integrity Australia will always act to ensure a level playing field for athletes,” Sharpe said.

“In order to protect athletes and sporting competitions, we must have clarity and consistency in the application of the World Anti-Doping Code.”

Shayna Jack speaks to media after an ASADA hearing.

The appeal is a major setback for Jack, who had said she could walk a little taller when the ban was reduced.

“I have never doubted myself for a minute throughout this ordeal and I have never allowed my integrity to be compromised,” she said.

“I walk a little taller tonight with the fact that this ordeal is finally over.

“I am returning to swimming – the sport that I have loved all my life and the sport that I will cherish just that little bit more ongoing.”

Initially suspended for four years by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority after testing positive to the anabolic agent ligandrol last year, Jack received a hefty reduction after successfully appealing to the CAS.

She spent two days in late September testifying via video link before CAS released its decision on Monday, saying they believed her version of events.

“The Sole Arbitrator in charge of this matter found, on the balance of probabilities, that Shayna Jack did not intentionally ingest ligandrol and considered that she had discharged her onus of proving that the anti-doping rule violation was not intentional,” CAS said in its ruling.

“As a consequence, the Sole Arbitrator imposed a reduced period of ineligibility of two years, commencing on the date of her provisional suspension.”

The Shayna Jack saga is far from over.

The shortened ban still kills Jack’s hopes of competing at next year’s postponed Tokyo Olympics but leaves open the possibility she can make a full return to international swimming when she returns to the pool in mid 2021.

Her ban was backdated to July 12, 2019 – when she was provisionally suspended by Swimming Australia and sent home from the team’s training camp in Japan.