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Dank receives AFL life ban

Controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank has been banned for life by the AFL anti-doping tribunal for his conduct in the Essendon supplements scandal.

The ban begins on June 25 and it is understood it will essentially mean he cannot work in Australian sport again.

However Dank will launch further legal action against the AFL in the coming weeks, likely to be the Supreme Court according to News Corp.

He described the AFL’s anti-doping tribunal as a “kangaroo-court”.

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Dank was told about the ruling at a speaking engagement at Moonee Valley racecourse and was said to be visibly angry.

He reportedly called AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan and AFL anti-doping legal counsel Justin Hooper immediately.

“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 told News Corp.

“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.”

The legal action will be launched against the AFL and ASADA for defamation and damages.

In a statement the tribunal said: “The Australian Football League Anti-Doping Tribunal has concluded its deliberation with respect to the sanction of the former Essendon Football Club support person found to have breached the AFL Anti-Doping Code.

“The Tribunal has imposed a lifetime sanction, commencing on 25 June 2015.”

On April 10 Dank was found guilty of 34 violations of the AFL anti-doping code, including attempting to traffic, trafficking and his “complicity” in dealings with a range of banned substances. 

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

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

Dank maintained his innocence in the supplements scandal after having 24 serious charges dismissed.

– with ABC

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