Controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank will contest the guilty findings and resultant AFL life ban imposed by the league’s anti-doping tribunal for his role in the controversial Essendon supplements scandal.

Dank informed AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon on Monday morning of his decision to contest the findings.

The appeal is set to be heard by the AFL’s appeal board, chaired by Peter O’Callaghan QC, in August.

Dank’s decision to appeal has the potential to delay the World Anti-Doping Agency’s proposed re-hearing of the case against 34 past and present Essendon players at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Earlier this year, the Essendon players were cleared of taking banned peptide Thymosin Beta-4 by the AFL tribunal, a finding being appealed by WADA.

The anti-doping tribunal had found Dank guilty of 10 anti-doping infringements which occurred during his time at Essendon and Gold Coast, but he was cleared of 24 other alleged infringements.

The life ban – which was welcomed by both the AFL and ASADA – effectively meant Dank would not be able to work again in any sport that was a signatory to the WADA code.

After Dank received the life ban last month he vowed to take legal action against the AFL.