Matildas player Aivi Luik has revealed that she has been found guilty of an anti-doping violation after being treated for a back injury — but wants to use her experience as a warning to other athletes.
The 39-year-old, who currently plays with Swedish club BK Häcken FF, was forced to rule herself out of playing at the Paris Olympics — potentially ending her international career — after being told she faced a three month ban by Italian anti-doping agency Nado Italia.
"It just made my heart drop," Luik told The Sports Ambassador Podcast.
"My whole world stopped. No athlete ever wants to hear that. It was a huge, huge shock to me."
The ban relates to treatment she received for a back injury during her time with Naples-based club, Pomigliano.
The 42-time capped Matilda was treated with a cortisone injection, which, despite initial concerns, she was told would be okay.
"I asked the doctor, 'I'm an athlete, I have to abide by anti doping rules, are you sure that this is okay?' And he said, 'Yes, yes, it's fine.'
"I want to stress how hard the situation was, in the fact that the communication was really difficult, because they didn't really speak English, obviously I didn't speak Italian, and but what he did say was a cortisone. And so in my head, I'm like, oh, cortisone. You know, athletes, we get them all the time, especially footballers, two or three days, you're out, and that's it."
Aivi Luik plays for Swedish club BK Häcken. (Getty Images: Anadolu/Mustafa Yalcin)
The club asked Luik to sign a TUE, a Therapeutic Use Exemption, which is an application to the world anti doping agency, WADA, to use a banned substance to aid recovery from an injury.
As a result, Luik was of the understanding that everything had been ticked off.
"Before the next game, I spoke with the club, and they said, 'Yep, you're all good, you're all fine to play, no worries, no issues'," she said.
However, a couple of weeks later staff members pulled her aside and told her the devastating news that she had been suspended for two months.
"It was a bit hard because of the communication, but they told me that the TUE, the paperwork, had been denied," Luik said.
"And so, of course, in my head, I'm freaking out.
"What does this mean? What could it mean? Have I done something wrong?"
Luik did not play for the rest of the season, three more games.
"Then I left the club, thinking that the situation was done and and that was it," Luik said.
However, as the email from Nado dropped in her inbox, it was clear that the situation was far from over.
"I was freaking out … like I didn't know if it was a real email, because of the way it was written. I didn't know what my avenues were," she said.
Aivi Luik made her international debut in 2010. (Getty Images: Paul Harding)
"You are always kind of advised, like, this can't be official, if it's something like that, it will be sent to you in the mail, it will have more substance to it than an email, basically.
"And sure enough, a second email came along, detailing the charge further and then I knew it was real. This was all happening."
She got in touch with the PFA, something Luik admits she wishes she had done earlier, who got the legal wheels turning in order to defend her case.
"The lawyers and the experts that we talked to didn't believe there was any charge here," Luik said.
Loading...However, the tribunal ended up sanctioning Luik based on the performance enhancing risk associated with the injection she took, something Luik contends.
"There was no test, no test to say that I was positive, yet they're saying that it had a performance enhancing effect. But, yeah, there was no test. So how can you say that?" she said.
The tribunal ruled that although Luik did not intend to commit the violation, there was negligence on her part and banned her for three months.
"That was a pretty hard to take, because I guess, we had such a strong case since there was no test, and it was taken out of competition when it was legal … the lawyers did a fantastic job and I really did believe, although you can never be certain, that they would dismiss the case.
"When I was given the sanction, just all over again, your world kind of comes crashing down, sporting wise."
Luik said there was a chance to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but, although Luik would "love to continue this fight" a prohibitive legal bill and the emotional toll it would take made her think twice.
For Luik, even challenging the ruling would be too late.
All this was taking place at the end of May, around the time the Matildas Olympic selection was taking place.
"I was terrified at the thought of this affecting the team," Luik said.
"I was just so scared of the thought that maybe something like this comes out during the Olympic tournament, and what that would do for the girls and the team in general.
"So yeah, I had to call up Tony [Gustavsson] and just pull my name from the selection.
"I don't know whether I would have made it or not, but I think the hardest thing to take was just the fact that the chance was kind of robbed in that way."
Luik said she wants her case to serve as a warning to others.
"Beforehand, [anti-doping] seemed a bit more black and white to me," she said.
"It just seemed like kind of like, you're either a cheat or you're not. But now it just seems like, wow, there's so much more to it than that.
"And because of all of this, I've been paying more attention to it and reading other people's stories and like the Shayna Jack case from a couple years ago, like my heart just goes out to her.
"Yes, the rules are what they are and we need to abide by them, but there always seems to be cases that need to be dealt with individually or have greater ways to protect athletes who are doing the right thing, but for whatever reason, they find themselves in a situation where they're up against a charge."
Aivi Luik has played 42 times for the Matildas. (Getty Images: FIFA/Elsa)
Luik said her club, BK Häcken FF have been "amazing" and stood by her.
"Since the get go, they've had complete belief in me, they've listened to me and have supported me," she said.
"They could have easily have torn up my contract and not wanted to have anything to do with someone who's received a sanction, but they've been the complete opposite.
"And the girls and the staff have been amazing too, and so to finally, kind of get this out there and tell everyone why I'm not there and why I'm not playing is a bit of a relief to me."
The PFA released a statement acknowledging the "bravery" of Luik to tell her story.
"We will continue to ensure she is supported with the full resources of the players’ association," the statement read.
"Aivi’s case further highlights the need to establish an anti-doping system that respects the fundamental rights of athletes and is effective in pursuing its stated objectives.
"In speaking out Aivi has once again demonstrated the courage and character she has always shown on and off the pitch."
Although Luik is still wrestling with the choice to get the charges dismissed, she said her close friends know she would never knowingly cheat, and that is enough for her.
"I know the people that know me know that I would never intentionally cheat or commit an anti-doping violation,' she said.
"Is it one of those where I just, I just suck it up and I take it and I live with the fact that there's always going to people be people who don't agree?
"But those who love me know that I didn't do it, and that's enough for me.
"And then, I use this as my way of helping to warn other athletes."