Controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank will be allowed to call witnesses and plead his case directly to the AFL appeals board next week when he attempts to have his lifetime ban overturned.

Dank, the architect of Essendon’s ill-fated 2012 supplements program, was found guilty of 10 breaches of the AFL’s anti-doping code in April last year.

He was subsequently banned for life from working in any sport in Australia or overseas by the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal.

The appeals board issued a statement on Friday to clarify Dank’s rights at the open hearing after a Fairfax Media report stated only written submissions would be allowed.

“The statement contained in the article that oral submissions (and by inference that oral evidence) would not be allowed at the hearing of Mr Dank’s appeal is totally incorrect,” the statement from board members Peter O’Callaghan QC, Murray Kellam AO and Geoff Giudice AO read.

“All parties shall be entitled to call and rely upon such oral or written evidence as is relevant and make such oral or written submissions as they consider appropriate.”

Dank has previously threatened to call key players in the four-year drugs saga, including Former Essendon coach James Hird, former AFL boss Andrew Demetriou, and ex Essendon officials Ian Robson and David Evans.

Dank’s appeal will be heard at AFL House on Monday and is expected to go for three days.

Thirty-four past and present Essendon players missed the 2016 season after they were banned in January for anti-doping code violations arising from the supplements program Dank oversaw.