WE WILL STILL APPEAL: Gilas Pilipinas Assured of Retaining Asian Games Gold Medal Despite Positive Cannabis Test
Philippine Olympic Committee president, Abraham Tolentino, has addressed the concerns of basketball fans in the Philippines after it was reported that Justin Brownlee, a naturalized Filipino athlete and a key player in the victorious Gilas Pilipinas campaign at the recent Asian Games, tested positive for cannabis use. Tolentino assures the nation that the gold medal won by Gilas Pilipinas at the Asiad will remain in the Philippines’ possession.
“There’s no way that we will be stripped of that,” Tolentino confidently stated while speaking with the Inquirer over the phone amidst a flurry of media inquiries. The news of Brownlee’s failed drug test, conducted during the league held in Hangzhou, China, has sparked worries among Filipino basketball enthusiasts. However, Tolentino is determined to appeal the findings of the International Testing Agency (ITA), with the deadline for appeal set on October 19. Tolentino vows to do everything possible to prove that Brownlee did not cheat.
Reports reveal that Brownlee’s urine sample was taken on October 7, the day after the gold medal match against Jordan, which the Filipinos won with a score of 70-60. It is worth mentioning that Gilas Pilipinas had previously defeated host China in the semifinals with a nail-biting score of 77-76. This victory marked the second time within just 32 days that the Chinese lost to the Filipinos, following a 20-point defeat in the consolation round of the Fiba World Cup in Manila, where NBA star Jordan Clarkson led Gilas.
The banned substance carboxy-THC was found in Brownlee’s urine sample, indicating cannabis use. He is the second member of the Philippine delegation to test positive, with mountain biker Ariana Evangelista being the first. Evangelista is also contesting the result with the assistance of the POC. Brownlee has been notified of the case and has the right to request the analysis of the ‘B’ samples.
Tolentino remains optimistic, stating that he is confident that no more than one Gilas player will test positive. According to the rules of the Olympic Council of Asia, a team must have at least three players found in violation of drug-use rules for the country to face disqualification or loss of a medal. Tolentino reasons that since all players on the team were tested and only one has come out positive, there is no possibility of two more players testing positive and resulting in the team being stripped of the gold medal.
Furthermore, Tolentino reveals that all the gold medal winners were tested in Hangzhou. The jiu-jitsu ace, Annie Ramirez, who contributed one of the four gold medals won by the Philippines at the Asiad, provided her urine sample more than two hours after her title match. Tolentino assures that all players from Gilas Pilipinas have been tested since everyone waited for them to submit their urine samples.
The other basketball finalist, Jordan, also underwent testing after winning their semifinal match against Chinese Taipei. Traces of a performance-enhancing steroid were found in the urine sample of guard Sam Bzai. Similar to Brownlee, Bzai has the right to contest the finding using his ‘B’ sample.
In the event that Brownlee’s ‘B’ sample also tests positive, he will face a two-year suspension. However, it is important to note that the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) rules, which mirror those of Fiba, do not strip teams of wins or titles in cases of drug violations. PBA players are instead subjected to heavy fines and lengthy suspensions, as evidenced by the case of Jimwell Torion of the defunct Red Bull team.
Fiba also refrained from disqualifying or stripping the Philippines of any wins when Kiefer Ravena tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance during the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Australia. Ravena was subsequently suspended for 18 months from representing the Philippines internationally, and his PBA career was put on hold for the duration of the suspension.
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