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Controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank has had his appeal against his lifetime ban from the AFL dismissed by the competition’s anti-doping appeal board.
Dank was due to appear in front of the appeals board on Monday, November 21, but never showed up, citing a family medical emergency.
While the appeal was not thrown out after Dank failed to show up to the hearing, the disgraced sports scientist was ordered to provide detailed evidence supporting his absence by 5pm last Friday, November 25.
However, according to a statement from appeals board chairman Peter O’Callaghan released on Monday afternoon (AEDT) – and despite Dank’s insistence he would provide the paperwork and clear his name – the board never received any such paperwork.
“Friday came and passed and there has not been provided the information requested nor has there been any explanation why this has not been done,” the statement read.
“Thus the condition for further hearing has not been met.”
Citing a “lack of cooperation and communication” from Dank, the appeals board agreed to the application made to them by the AFL and ASADA to throw out Dank’s appeal.
However, O’Callaghan’s statement made it clear that such a decision would have been reached even if the application from the AFL and ASADA hadn’t been made.
“Had the aforesaid applications not been before it, in the light of the history of this matter and in particular the flagrant flouting of the board’s directions as aforesaid, the board of its own motion would have dismissed the appeal,” the statement read.
“It is hereby ordered that the appeal is dismissed.”
Dank had been handed a lifetime ban from all sports running under the World Anti-Doping Code following his role in the infamous supplements scandal which took place at the Essendon Bombers during the 2012 season.
Dank was found guilty of ten charges by the AFL’s anti-doping tribunal in June 2015, although he was cleared of 24 others.
The controversy saw 34 Bombers players handed one-year bans earlier in 2016 and led to the club’s former skipper Jobe Watson handing back his Brownlow medal from 2012.
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