After a doping allegation in 2019, the Australian swimmer went ‘through hell’ to clear her name. Now she has the chance to win the 50m sprint in Paris
There has been much talk about anti-doping on the pool deck this week. Dozens of swimmers have expressed concerns about the binary discussion surrounding recent positive tests by Chinese swimmers and the ongoing question-marks surrounding the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada). British breaststroke champion Adam Peaty spoke for many swimmers when he said: “You definitely want a fair game, you want to win fair and be around people who do the same and live by the same values.”
But one swimmer has kept a notable silence. Shayna Jack’s experience underscores the complexities of the anti-doping system, the individual injustices occasioned by blanket rules and presumptions of guilt. Above all, her comeback represents a remarkable feat of perseverance.