Appeal date wait has Jack sweating

SWIMMING coach Dean Boxall says his star charge Shayna Jack should be informed within days of the date for her Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal hearing.

Jack will front CAS, probably via video link due to coronavirus restrictions, to appeal against a four-year ban recommended by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority in March.

It was the maximum suspension for a first doping offence.

Jack, 21, has been fighting to clear her name since being stood down from the Australian team in the lead-up to the 2019 world titles in July after it emerged she had tested positive to Ligandrol, a muscle growth agent.

The Commonwealth Games gold medallist and member of Australia’s world record breaking 4x100m freestyle relay team has denied knowingly taking the drug.

“Shayna will hopefully find out this next week when her date is for CAS,” Jack’s coach Boxall told ABC Radio.

“Everything has basically been finalised. We are now just waiting for CAS.

“The finalities are coming up, so that’s exciting. It is coming to the end, which is fantastic. We feel really positive about it.”

Swimming Australia banned Jack from training with Boxall’s squad and from using SA accredited pools since the positive drug test and can’t provide financial support during her legal fight.

But SA has provided mental health assistance throughout the process. Boxall said Jack had been trying to stay optimistic but had still been anxious as her appeal hearing loomed.

“She is also nervous, the poor girl, because she knows this is it. You have no more road to go on,” he said. “What comes up ahead is where we will be. The date is pretty soon, it will be imminent really.”