Sports thread: Everything sport related here.

The officials were coming in without following the proper procedures as basic as having the credentials. How can they be trusted of following the procedures just so they don't mess up the samples?

 

Some points from this report:

1. It was China's own anti-doping agency tested him, and punished him without covering up.
2. The test happened in May, the banned substance was added to the list for less than 5 months, before that it was totally alright.

Contrary to Australian's swimming association:

1. Ms. Jack was tested positive on June 15th.
2. That test result was not published, NOT EVEN shared within the team.
3. Ms. Jack was allowed to go to South Korean to continue the game. What were they trying to do? Hoping that by that time, the trace in her blood would have dropped so low to avoid mandatory test on winners? That intention is a deliberate coverup on the part of the Aussie Team, not only Ms. Jack.
   
4. That coverup made Horton put up his drama and now being seen as Hypocrite and laughing stock.

There are similar cases where a substance has long been alright, but made into the list without Athletes aware. This has happened to Sharapova. I remember reading her case, it was stated per WADA rule that WADA will update the list, but WADA is NOT responsible to inform athletes, it is solely the responsible of the athlete to check WADA banned list. Because of this, I won't blame any athlete who fall victim to this kind of rule during the initial period.

This kind of practice is not alone, it is typical bureaucracy that the bureaucrat relief themselves of work and responsibility. One example is in the Western country I live in, if the traffic authority changed the rule on the road or of vehicle, it is the sole responsibility of the driver to know it. How? read the right news paper every day? check their website every day? Not their problem. My rule, your problem.

Sun Yang could be simply not knowing and being honest. Of course, I don't exclude the other possibility. But if you have ever been caught "breaking" the updated rule without knowing, you will feel the same frustration.

 

Well I think Sun Yang does have to bear some responsibility for his failed drug test.

With how much elite athletes make, and how a failed drug test could be an instant career ender, every elite athlete should have at lesson one person on his/her staff who’s responsible for checking the banned substances list daily, as well as every single thing the athlete allows into his/her system for any trace of the banned substances.

The costs of having such a person is like pocket change to the likes of Sun Yang.

And even though anyone who has seen the actual facts of the case can see it as clear as day that Sun was caught out by a technicality and was not a cheat; that blemish on his recoded does allow jealous trolls like Horton and his ilk to smear him.

I think Sun would be incredibly frustrated with himself for letting such a stupid little slip up to allow haters to question all his achievements and accomplishments.

As such, I think Sun needs to share some of the blame, and other athletes need to learn from his mistake.

 

I can only say that Sun have to "自认倒霉", roughly translated "accept the unlucky reality". I have paid "penalties" (officially called service fee, a polite name) for late payment of bank bill because I was on a long vacation, the expense during the vacation fall into the monthly bill which was sent to my home when I was thousands kilometre away. I could not know there is a bill soon to be due, even if I know I could not pay without the reference number. The fact is I have to pay the "penalty", but I would not accept "responsibility" that I have no way to take. Of course, the counter argument can be that it is my responsibility to have one of my friend to open my mailbox and handle everything. It all depends on the standing point.

I think, it does not matter the wording, it is easier and accepted by all parties according to existing rule. Sun broke it, knowingly or not does not matter, he serve his punishment, he learn from it, then it is over.

 

That is why for his kind of offence and the type of drug, he got three months, not two years. Mack was acting like Sun got two years.

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-29/swimming-australia-ceo-leigh-russell/11355510

ABC interview of Leigh Russell (Australian Swimming Association's CEO) where the anchor questioned her "is that double standard?", to which she first tried to say "it is different", then changed subject.

I must say the anchor has gained my respect very much.

 

that is what Leigh Russell was arguing during her interview with ABC "it is different.... Mack was protesting an athlete was allowed to compete when under the process of investigation...". To this, the anchor said "FINA said it was ok for Sun Yang to compete, isn't it?, isn't that the process? So we should not respect their (FINA) process?... That's the big double standard as I see it."

 

Yes they're trying to spin and control the narrative. Shayna Jack is young and blonde (at times) and has her whole life ahead of her and no one should throw it away. There's even a story out there that the FINA head who is charged as being a Sun fan leaked the test result. That still doesn't lessen how Jack tested positive. She tested positive and who believes it was taken accidentally? I can believe she may have taken it unknowingly because that would be even a more blacker mark that someone in Swimming Australia is giving performance enhancing drugs to their athletes without them knowing it. I read that the Chinese media with a grin were throwing questions at swimming officlals at the world championship after the Jack revelation. This is what they should throw out there and ask if Shayna Jack claims she didn't do it vouluntarily, how many other Australian swimmers are taking PEDs and not even knowing it?

 

Yes... a competitor or a body who has no business in being the judge and jury and doing it nonetheless with double standard.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-07/29/c_138267309.htm
Commentary: Shanya Jack drug case exposes blatant double-standard against Sun Yang

By sportswriter Spencer Musick

BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) -- New allegations that Swimming Australia may have engaged in a cover-up in order to protect its athlete Shanya Jack, reported by news.com.au, have laid bare the double-standards and utter hypocrisy of the treatment afforded to Chinese Olympic champion Sun Yang by both Swimming Australia and some of his fellow athletes.

Jack failed a doping test late that month for a drug called Ligandrol that increases muscle growth, but when she was withdrawn from competition right before things got underway at the Worlds in Gwangju, Swimming Australia cited only "personal reasons" in explaining its move.

Both Swimming Australia and the country's sport minister have defended these actions, but their explanations fail to pass muster, at least for any objective observer. Even former Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority chief executive Richard Ings has taken to social media to point out that Swimming Australia's initial statement "was an untruth."

By lying to the public regarding the Jack case, Swimming Australia has lost every ounce of credibility in its defense of Mack Horton's podium stunt aimed at Sun Yang.

"Athletes in these situations have a right to a process," said Swimming Australia chief Leigh Russell, with the country's Federal Sport Minister Richard Colbeck also echoing these sentiments in calling for due process to be allowed run its course in the Jack case.

Russell and Colbeck could not be more correct in their statements. It is the sole responsibility of international sport governing bodies to adjudicate cases involving potential use of banned substances. So why, when Horton made his attention-grabbing move at the podium with Sun, did Swimming Australia rush to his defense in the name of protecting clean sport? Does Sun Yang not have the same right to due process as Shanya Jack?

Of course, he does. But Swimming Australia is not interested in due process, nor is it interested in protecting clean sport. If it was, the organization would have issued a statement after Horton's move calling on its athletes to respect their fellow competitors and respect due process in all ongoing doping cases. It also would have immediately made Jack's failed test known and promised to do its part to protect clean sport going forward. No such statements were made because this has never been Swimming Australia's intention.

FINA has already issued its ruling on the incident involving Sun's out-of-competition drug test, clearing him of all wrongdoing. WADA has appealed that decision, and is perfectly within its rights to do so. FINA has also ruled that Sun may continue to compete while that appeal is adjudicated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Due process is running its course, and third parties like Swimming Australia and Sun's fellow competitors should show respect and restraint in the meantime.

Mack Horton's own hypocrisy has also been made plain as this case unfolds. An ABC News Australia reporter on Saturday approached Horton outside the team bus in Gwangju, asking him if the Jack case had made him regret his earlier actions toward Sun. Horton smirked and stood in silence before making his way to the team bus. While he later issued a statement reiterating his commitment to clean sport, he did not address whether or not he regretted his actions toward Sun given the unfolding scandal in his own swimming association.

It is impossible to ignore the fact that the personal animus between Sun and Horton goes back to Rio 2016. Horton's selective outrage at this year's Worlds is a clear indication that he is an opportunist aiming to score personal points against (and generate negative publicity for) a powerful rival. He should stop pretending that protecting clean sport is his intention. Horton is fooling nobody.

If Horton is concerned about Sun Yang's ongoing case and feels that it should preclude him from competition, he is perfectly entitled to his opinion and free to make it known. The mixed zone would have been the appropriate place to do this in interviews and public statements. The competition podium must always be a place where respect, decency, and kindness to one's competitors prevails.

An old saying holds that 'sunlight is the best disinfectant.' Swimming Australia, with the aid of a few Australian government officials and some Australian media outlets, has actually done the public a favor by letting the sunlight in on its real intentions: protecting the image of its own swimmer while sullying that of a decorated Olympian from a competing country. Sun Yang has shown remarkable and commendable professionalism and restraint given the immense and unfair burden that has been placed on his shoulders by some of his fellow athletes.

International sports competitions are meant to be a place where political and cultural differences are set aside as the world's best athletes compete on a level playing field in a spirit of friendliness. Clean competition is a bottom-line requirement for this spirit to prevail, one that must apply equally to all countries and athletes.

The Shanya Jack incident should teach an important lesson to Swimming Australia, to Mack Horton, and to some of the western media outlets that were so quick to pile up on Sun Yang. The expectation of clean sport should never be used as a bludgeon to selectively kneecap one athlete while giving a pass to others. Fairness, objectivity, and respect for due process must always be maintained and applied equally to everyone.

 

Shayna Jack had previous coaches that were fired for cheating scandals with other athletes in separate incidents.

Jack's present coach is apparently saying that Jack supports Horton's protest against Sun 100%. Hand me some popcorn...