Essendon boss Ian Robson responds to calls for heads to roll following Stephen Dank's interview last night.
Steve Dank has told the ABC's 7.30 that Essendon coach James Hird was fully informed about the nature of the program the biochemist was paid to run at the club. Courtesy: 7.30, ABC
The scientist at the centre of Essendon's controversial performance supplements program says it was within the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency. Courtesy: 7.30, ABC
Stephen Dank speaks out on the ABC's 7.30 program last night. Picture: Channel ABC Source: Supplied
ESSENDON coaches took drugs that were banned for players, the former club sports scientist at the centre of the Bombers' drugs crisis claims.
Stephen Dank last night said coaches - whom he did not name - took substances not approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
"A couple of coaches were using supplements that were a little bit outside the WADA code but, again, they were entitled to it and nothing illegal in those," Dank said.
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In an explosive interview with ABC's 7.30, Dank also claimed head coach James Hird had full knowledge of the players' 2012 supplement regime, now at the centre of a doping authority probe.
Hird declined to respond to Dank's claims.
In other developments in the footy drugs scandal:
- AFL chief Andrew Demetriou said he had "serious concerns" about players mixing with bikies.
- CLUBS will be alerted in the next two weeks that phone taps have picked up the names of some players in contact with criminals.
- BLOOD samples could be sent to Germany as part of the investigation of Essendon's drug controversy.
- THE AFL maintained it could not notify a second club about an alleged rogue doper within its ranks.
Coaches are not bound by the restrictions WADA places on performance-enhancing drugs.
Dank stressed the substances administered to players were all "very, very legal and within the constraints of WADA".
Essendon's former sports scientist Steve Dank has told the ABC's 7.30 that coaches at the club took supplements that are prohibited for players. Courtesy: 7.30, ABC
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Dank stressed last night "all levels" at the club were given regular details of the supplements program.
"There was a collective involvement - you know it wasn't just Steve Dank," he said.
"There was certainly input from people outside myself. There was a very significant involvement from Dean (Robinson) as the high-performance manager, there was detailed discussion with James Hird, there was detailed discussion with the club doctor (Bruce Reid).
"They were sort of the main people involved in the knowledge of the program."
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On the coaches' own drug regimes, Dank alleged: "There were some differences in what we offered the coaches. Let's face it, the coaches themselves are not subjected to any WADA code.
"Off the top of my head three, four or five taking vitamin supplements, protein supplements.
"A couple of coaches were using supplements that were a little bit outside the WADA code but again they were entitled to it and nothing illegal in those."
Essendon recruit Brendon Goddard says his new Bombers teammates are anxious about the doping probe.
The sports scientist declared his innocence throughout the interview, saying he was a biochemist and supplement programs were regularly used at most top AFL clubs.
He denied injecting players with a banned substance and said he was "very surprised" when the club called a conference announcing it was unaware of what the program involved.
Dank said the only supplements intravenously supplied were Vitamin D and Vitamin C. He denied peptides were injected but said up to four different peptide formulas could have been given to players.
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"We had a program, it was well documented, it was discussed at all levels throughout the club in terms of what the supplements were and the regime and dosages, and what time of the day or week you know," he said.
Dank runs two other rejuvenation clinics in Victoria and NSW that he said ran programs separate to his work with elite football teams.
A substance known as GHRP-6 or peptide 6 - listed on Mr Dank's clinic website - is a human growth hormone banned by the Australian Anti-Doping Authority of Australia.
Dank admitted selling the substance but denied it was used on elite athletes. He also rejected links with criminal gangs.
