Controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank will contest his life ban from involvement in AFL.

On Monday, Dank informed the league’s general counsel, Andrew Dillon, of his decision to contest his guilty verdict.

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The scientist was found by the AFL anti-doping tribunal last month to have committed 10 doping violations.

He was the mastermind of a peptide program at the Essendon Bombers which led to 34 players facing doping charges.

At the time of his sentence, Dank maintained his innocence and said he would “leave no stone unturned in pursuing justice”.

There is concern the appeal could delay a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which has been called upon to re-examine the case against the 34 past and present Essendon players who were found not guilty by the AFL’s Anti-Doping Tribunal of using the banned substance thymosin beta-4.