MELBOURNE has defended the legality of its supplement program after revelations that club doctor Dan Bates consulted Stephen Dank on injections as part of the program.
On Thursday night, the ABC's 7:30 revealed text messages sent between Bates and Dank, the man at the centre of Essendon's supplements scandal.
Bates allegedly consulted the controversial sports scientist between August 2012 and early February this year about supplements and the location and timing of injections. The messages aired on 7:30 named seven Melbourne players.
In a statement released on Thursday night, the Demons said an internal review found no evidence that any player at Melbourne had been administered a banned substance at any time or that its supplements program contravened any ASADA or WADA guidelines.
It also stated that Dank had not treated any Melbourne players.
The club said injections made to players were prescribed by Bates and comprised vitamin B, C and an anti-oxidant, Glutathione.
The club said other substances the 7:30 program referred to - ÂThymomodulin, Cerebrolysin, Naltrexone, Tribulus and Oxytocin - Âwere not prescribed or administered to any Melbourne players.
The club reviewed its supplements program in February after the investigation into Essendon was launched.
However the club admitted in a statement that it instructed all staff including Bates to sever ties with Dank as soon as the investigation into Essendon was made public.
The club did not address the program's claim that Dank was a regular at Demons training or if he had met with sports performance manager Neil Craig.
It also did not clarify why it had not volunteered the information relating to the exchange of text messages with Dank earlier, something the AFL said it will seek an explanation for as a matter of urgency.
The club however reasserted that Dank did not treat players and that the club followed protocol with only the club doctor able to prescribe and approve treatment of players.
The AFL has issued the Demons an urgent 'please explain', wanting to know how the extent of the relationship between Dank and club officials was not fully outlined.
Melbourne has said it will co-operate with the AFL and its investigation.
