Essendon doping verdict to be heard in Jan

The saga surrounding Essendon's doping case will drag on into 2016, with a mid-January verdict to be handed down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport will deliver its verdict on the Essendon doping case in January. (AAP)

The Court of Arbitration for Sport says it will deliver in mid-January its verdict on the Essendon doping case that has rocked Australian sport.

CAS arbitrated a hearing in Sydney from November 16-20, and said on Tuesday it will notify all parties of its decision from January 11.

The case involves 34 current and former Essendon players, who took a banned peptide in 2012 at the suggestion of a sports scientist.

The Australian Football League decided in March there was no anti-doping violation, but the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed to CAS, seeking a violation and sanction.