WADA to appeal decision on Dank

SPORTS scientist Stephen Dank says he will be too busy running a multimillion-dollar damages claim against the AFL to front a World AntiDoping Agency appeal.

WADA yesterday announced it was appealing a decision by the AFL anti-doping tribunal to clear Dank of 21 doping charges, including administering the banned peptide Thymosin beta-4 to Essendon players as part of the club’s 2012 supplements regimen.

The appeal will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the same court that will rule on WADA’s appeal in the case against 34 former and current Bombers players.

Dank yesterday said his legal team was deep into preparations for separate damages and defamation claims.

“The WADA appeal is of no interest to me,” he said.

“At the moment we are concerning ourselves with legal action against the Gold Coast Suns, the AFL and Australian Sports Anti- Doping Authority.”

Asked whether he was concerned the two WADA appeals would be upheld, Dank replied: “No. They’ve got no evidence and no positive tests.”

But Dank said he would be willing to appear before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the appeal against the 34 Essendon players if it helped clear their names.

Dank questioned how axed Essendon fitness boss Dean Robinson had escaped sanction by the AFL and ASADA.

The Bombers paid a $1 million settlement to Robinson last October to end a wrongful dismissal claim.

An explosive Supreme Court trial had been set for November and was expected to include witness testimony embarrassing to the AFL and the club.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan, his predecessor Andrew Demetriou and Essendon chairman Paul Little were among a long list who had been subpoenaed to produce evidence in the trial.

ASADA chief executive Ben McDevitt said: “ASADA will fully support the WADAinitiated appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”