Sports scientist Stephen Dank has refused to discuss how or whether he was paid by Cronulla for his work on the NRL club’s controversial supplements program.
Focus turned to the issue of payments for Dank’s services and the supplements allegedly used after claims that private bank accounts were used at the club in recent years.
The club reportedly has no record of any payments for the supplements program in the early part of the 2011 season that is the subject of an Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority investigation.
Dank said on Wednesday he did not see claims aired on ABC’s 7.30 program on Tuesday night.
“I was busy reviewing football games from England last night and didn’t see any news,” Dank told the Nine Network outside his home.
Asked if he was paid for his Cronulla work off the books he said: “Mate, you might want to direct that one to the accountants.”
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan has denied any of Dank’s expenses were met by a Westpac account he operated, which was only opened a year after Dank parted ways with the club.
The Daily Telegraph has reported it was the second private account used at the club in recent years, with another used to fund team camps and equipment in 2009.
Flanagan, who took over in 2010, told the newspaper the account he operated was used to buy gym equipment – with money raised through functions and golf days – because the football department was not funded well enough to be competitive.
He understood Dank was willing to work for free.
Flanagan said the account was shut down at the direction of former club CEO Bruno Cullen, who arrived earlier this year at the NRL’s request as the ASADA investigation was getting underway.
Appearing on the 7.30 program, Cullen denied knowing of the account, saying: “You just don’t do things that way, no.”
“Every dollar that comes into the club, and therefore every dollar that goes out of the club, should be going through the club’s central account and be recorded and accounted for.”
Cullen described the situation he encountered at Cronulla as “chaotic”.
“It was an invitation for things to happen, it was a disaster waiting to happen and all things have eventuated,” he said.