Essendon have denied allegations they reached out to Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto to obtain information relating to the AFL club's doping scandal.
Two former Bombers employees - including dual premiership player Dean Wallis - have reportedly made the claim as part of a Worksafe action against the club.
In addition to the allegations involving 61-year-old Gatto, Wallis and former team services manager John Elliott also claimed the club removed emails and covered up fraud, cocaine use and sexual harassment, News Corp Australia reports.
Wallis and Elliott say they were acting in the capacity as whistleblowers, and were not involved in the alleged activities.
Essendon boss Lindsay Tanner has dismissed the allegations as the acts of bitter former staff.
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"Two disgruntled ex-employees have made a number of false and unsubstantiated allegations against the club," Tanner said in a statement provided to AAP on Friday morning.
"For example, allegations of having dealings with Mick Gatto are false.
"Inappropriate demands and threats made upon Essendon Football Club have been reported to the AFL Integrity Department and on its advice, Victoria Police have been contacted," Tanner said.
"The workers compensation claims made by both former employees have been rejected by Work Cover.
"In the interest of our members, players, staff and broader AFL community, the club is focused on the future and the upcoming 2017 season."
The claims come two weeks before the Bombers' AFL season opener on March 25 and as the club attempts to move on from the saga which saw several high-profile players serve year-long doping bans.
"I have been scapegoated in relation to the supplement program, while others at the club have been covering up the use of cocaine, sexual harassment and fraudulent behaviour," Wallis, also a former assistant coach at the club, alleged in his statement.
The meeting with Gatto was allegedly to obtain information from Shane Charter, the former bodybuilder linked to Stephen Dank who decided not to give evidence to an anti-doping tribunal at the last minute.
"In November 2014 I was asked ... to set up a meeting off-site with Mick Gatto, who was an external well-known dispute resolution specialist,'' Elliott alleged.
"The purpose of the meeting was in regard to obtaining information from Shane Charter, who was a supplier to Stephen Dank."
