Dank moves to reverse lifetime ban

STEPHEN Dank’s bid to overturn an AFL lifetime ban starts on Monday.

The league’s appeals board will hold a directions hearing on Monday morning when Dank’s lawyers are expected to engage with the AFL’s disciplinary body for the first time since the Essendon dop- ing saga began. A three-day appeal hearing is scheduled to start on August 17.

Dank has previously indicated that he wants the proceedings to be open.

He has been given until next Friday to notify the appeals board if he intends to proceed.

Dank has been asked to identify whether he is appealing against the AFL Anti- Doping Tribunal decision against him in full or in part.

He has also been asked what, if any, facts he admits.

The board has ordered Dank to supply documents by July 20 and his full written submission by July 31.

In correspondence between several parties, including the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, Dank has been told that “in the event (he) fails to comply with (the board’s conditions), his appeal is taken to be abandoned with no right of reinstatement”.

Dank was found guilty by the AFL tribunal of 10 of 34 anti-doping charges and handed a lifetime ban.

None of the 10 charges relates to his direct dealings with footballers at Essendon, where he was sports scientist during the 2012 season. The World Anti-Doping Agency has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport the 24 charges against Dank that the AFL tribunal did not sustain.

US anti-doping lawyer Richard Young wrote to CAS this week seeking a stay of proceedings in WADA’s case against Dank until his dealings with the AFL system are resolved.