A few years ago, Gilas Pilipinas also fell prey to a banned substance when Kiefer Ravena tested positive for three ingredients listed in the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list: Dimethylbutylamine, Methylexaneamine and Higenamine.
Just recently, Gilas naturalized player Justin Brownlee, who just led the Philippines in winning the Asian Games gold medal for the first time in 61 years, also flunked a test as traces of the banned substance Carboxy-THC, a psychoactive compound in the cannabis, were found present in his sample.
Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, has no performance-enhancing effects, according to Dr. Ton Arcangel, team doctor of NLEX in the Philippine Basketball Association.
“It has no enhancing performance effects, but is banned due to the negative connotation it has as an illegal drug,” added the team doctor.
Brownlee wasn’t the only athlete who failed during the testing after Ariana Evangelista, a cyclist, was tested positive for erythropoietin.
Sam Bzai, a member of Jordan’s team that lost to Gilas, also failed a drug test.
With athletes falling victim to the list of banned substance under WADA, Dr. Arcangel believes it’s high time that everyone in the sports community begin familiarizing themselves with doping.
“Kiefer unknowingly took a substance from his pre-workout drink. This is not the first time an athlete was tested positive, so there would be athletes who could be victimized due to lack of information on these banned substances. I think it’s time that there should be a deeper orientation on this matter during major international events.”
Because of the banned substance found on Ravena’s test five years ago, he was suspended 18 months in all FIBA-sanctioned events, including playing for the Road Warriors in the Philippine Basketball Association.
Ravena now plays in the Japan B. League, but represented the Gilas team in the recent FIBA World Cup and knows the feeling all too well.
“I’m sure it’s really frustrating to be associated with something like that,” wrote Ravena in a Viber message.
Both the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the country’s governing basketball body, and the PBA, have yet to comment on the Brownlee issue.
