Sports scientist shot at home
AUSTRALIA sports scientist Stephen Dank’s former righthand man, Darren Hibbert, suspects bikie gangs were behind his shooting attack because Dank’s anti-aging clinics are taking clients away from their black-market steroid trade.
Shots were fired into his Melbourne home early yesterday morning, one grazing Dank’s forehead. Dank, the central figure in the Cronulla Sharks and Essendon peptide scandals, was taken to hospital in a stable condition.
Hibbert, a former employee of Advanced Sports Nutrition and long-time associate of Dank, was shocked when told the news.
‘‘It could be because he has taken a lot of business away from the bikies,’’ Hibbert said.
‘‘Steve has clinics in Melbourne and in Sydney where he is helping out a lot of athletes and high-profile people in regard to anti-aging. There could be a number of factors involved.
‘‘The wrong sort of people probably want to get in on the act because anti-aging and sports performance is a lucrative market. Maybe they tried to get in on the business.
‘‘Only idiots use steroids these days because there are other things available now that don’t affect your liver, but help increase muscle growth and are very safe. With peptides, you don’t need to use growth hormone because your body produces it itself in a natural way. You don’t end up with growth hormone side effects.
‘‘I know at one stage the bikies were trying to get in on peptides. They didn’t like it because a lot of business was being taken away from them.
‘‘People want to get healthy and they’re not buying black market steroids, they’re keeping away from them. They’re going to antiaging clinics and doing everything properly. ‘‘That may be the reason.’’ Hibbert remains in regular contact with Dank and the pair have discussed the prospect of starting a health and fitness venture in China
There was speculation the attack on Dank was arranged to prevent him from attending a speaking engagement scheduled for the weekend.