FORMER Melbourne captain Jack Trengove has been cleared by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, with no chance of prosecution over his alleged use of AOD-9604.

ASADA yesterday confirmed to the Herald Sun no Australian athlete would be pursued over their use of AOD-9604 before April 22 last year after boss Ben McDevitt ruled out action against Essendon players using the anti-obesity drug.

Essendon chairman Paul Little lashed ASADA on Sunday for taking Essendon players “to hell and back” by not telling them earlier they would be spared charges over AOD-9604.

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ASADA yesterday tried to explain its change of heart on AOD-9604 after questioning from the Herald Sun.

It said the decision not to prosecute cases was made “following the conclusion of the investigation and a review of the evidence by ASADA’s legal counsel”.

Former Federal Court judge Garry Downes was hired to expedite the probe in February.

Texts from biochemist ­Stephen Dank emerged in April 2013 that linked Trengove to use of a cream containing AOD-9604 in 2012 as he recovered from a foot injury.

Trengove has spoken of his anguish at being linked to Melbourne’s ASADA investigation, but is yet to be interviewed and has had no contact with the authority.

The Demons would not comment yesterday, but several people connected to Trengove wondered why he had been left in limbo and still not told of his exoneration.

On April 22, 2013, the World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed that AOD-9604 was a banned substance under the S. 0 category of the WADA code. Essendon had argued it was permitted.

In July last year, an ASADA spokesperson told the Herald Sun: “Since 2011, AOD-9604 has come under section S. 0 of the World Anti-Doping Prohibited List.”

But McDevitt said on Saturday it would have been unfair to charge players over its use in 2012, and was unlikely to get a charge to stick.

Dank last year claimed to have a letter from WADA ­approving the use of AOD- 9604, but that was denied by the world anti-doping body.

WADA said Dank was asked to consult ASADA for clarification. Dank has never produced proof that he was told by anyone at ASADA that the drug was permitted.

ASADA told the Herald Sun yesterday: “ASADA will not pursue anti-doping cases related to the peptide AOD- 9604 prior to 22 April, 2013.

“WADA publicly stated for the first time on 22 April 2013 that AOD-9604 was a prohibited substance in sport.

“ASADA cannot take the position that prior to April 2013 athletes and support personnel could have known that AOD-9604 was in fact a prohibited substance.

“Pursuing anti-doping rule violations that relate to this substance prior to 22 April, 2013 would be unsuccessful and unfair to athletes.”

The AFL has cleared Melbourne over governance issues in relation to its supplements program.

Melbourne club doctor Dan Bates was stood down by the club in the wake of the Essendon blow-up after Dank was discovered to have worked as a consultant for the Demons.