ESSENDON'S former high performance manager Dean Robinson has indicated the club employed sports scientist Stephen Dank to run last year's supplements program as a "black ops" operation.
The assertion has been emphatically denied by the Bombers.
Robinson was stood down by the Bombers in February when the club asked ASADA and the AFL to investigate it. Robinson resigned from the club last Friday.
In an excerpt played by the Seven Network on Tuesday night from an interview to air in full on Wednesday night, Robinson said he was present when Dank was interviewed for his job by Essendon coach James Hird and football manager Danny Corcoran.
"They put a scenario to Stephen. Steve said to Danny and James, specifically to them: 'What you are asking me to do is black ops,'" Robinson said.
The term "black ops" suggests a covert operation, but the Bombers issued a statement on Tuesday night saying they had never used that term.
"As has previously been stated, James Hird emphasised that the 2012 supplements program run by Stephen Dank and Dean Robinson must be legal according to WADA and the AFL, must be approved by the club doctor, must be given with the consent of the player and must not harm the player," the Bombers said.
"Contrary to reports, James Hird and Danny Corcoran never said the program should be run as a 'black op'.
"This is nonsense and categorically rejected by the club. This assertion is slanderous."
In a separate statement released on July 17, the Bombers said Robinson was the driving force behind Dank coming to the club.
"Mr Dank was brought to the club at the insistence of Dean Robinson with whom he had worked previously," the statement said.
In another excerpt from his interview, Robinson said he was reduced to tears when the Bombers stood him down in February.
"I'm in tears, I'm shaking, the worst thing is walking in and seeing my kids and realising that everything I've worked for, everything I've tried to do for my family, Essendon is targeting me," he said.
The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority and AFL joint investigation into the club's supplement program last year is expected to be finalised next week.
