Stephen Dank cops life ban from AFL anti-doping tribunal

UPDATE: STEPHEN Dank has taken aim at AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan after a league tribunal slapped him with a lifetime ban. FIRST PICS

Stephen Dank at Moonee Valley after finding out today that he had recieved a lifetime ban for his part in the Essendon supplements saga. Pic: Michael Klein

STEPHEN Dank has taken aim at AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan after a league tribunal slapped him with a lifetime ban.

The mastermind of Essendon’s 2012 drugs program declared he would be “going after” McLachlan and former AFL boss Andrew Demetriou in court.

“We will now accelerate our legal action against the AFL and individual members of its executive who are responsible for this decision being handed down,” Dank said.

“They have contaminated the truth and impaired natural justice, and now they will feel the full thrust of the law in relation to how they’ve handled this process.

“I will leave no stone unturned in pursuing justice.”

Stephen Dank on the phone after finding out that he had received a lifetime ban from the AFL for his part in the Essendon supplements saga. Picture: Michael Klein

The AFL anti-doping tribunal verdict on Friday means Dank cannot work again in any major Australian sport.

The Herald Sun informed Dank of the decision at Moonee Valley racecourse on Friday afternoon after a tell-all interview with veteran football journalist Mike Sheahan at a Doutta Stars Football Club function.

REVEALED: WHAT THE TRIBUNAL SAID ABOUT DANK

HEARING: READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE

The controversial sports scientist fired off an email to an AFL anti-doping tribunal member warning him of pending legal action against several parties involved in the Essendon investigation.

“I suggest... that you return my phone calls,” Dank wrote.

“Do not cowardly hide. And give that advice to Gillon McLachlan. Tell him to return my phone call. I warned you about how the conduct of the AFL, the tribunal and ASADA has contaminated the investigation and that we will not accept this.

“We will also be moving legally against the witnesses who provided contaminated and constructed evidence in this investigation.”

Stephen Dank after finding out that he had received a lifetime ban from the AFL for his part in the Essendon supplements saga. Picture: Michael Klein

The AFL and ASADA on Friday welcomed the verdict against Dank.

ASADA chief Ben McDevitt repeated his view that Dank “should never be allowed near any sporting venue or any athlete anywhere in the world, ever”.

“This ruling by the AFL anti-doping tribunal has confirmed my view,” McDevitt said.

“Other serious alleged violations involving Mr Dank and current and former Essendon players are currently being pursued before the Court of Arbitration for Sport via appeals initiated by the World Anti-Doping Agency.”

Dank was found guilty in April of 10 of 34 violations of the AFL anti-doping code, including trafficking, attempting to traffic and “complicity in matters related to a range of prohibited substances”.

The breaches took place when Dank worked at Essendon in 2012 and at the Gold Coast Suns in 2010.

He was also found guilty of supplying a banned substance to a Carlton support person in 2012.

The drugs linked to Dank by the AFL tribunal include Hexarelin, Humanofort, Thymosin beta-4, CJC-1295, GHRP6 and SARMS.

But Dank escaped on more than 20 charges, including all those relating to the alleged administering of banned drugs to the Essendon 34 during the 2012 season.

Dank did not attend and was not represented at the AFL tribunal hearings which began late last year.

Originally published as Stephen Dank cops life ban from AFL anti-doping tribunal