MANILA – Justin Brownlee won’t be permitted to play for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings in the PBA if he receives a suspension for failing the doping test at the 19th Asian Games.
According to Philippine Olympic Committee chair Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, the PBA will be responsible for implementing any potential two-year suspension on Brownlee due to their affiliation with FIBA.
“Mahirap pag pinabayaan lang natin ‘yung two-year suspension. Sayang ang participation niya sa PBA,” Tolentino said in an interview with One News PH’s Power and Play program on Saturday.
“(The suspension) decision will be forwarded also to FIBA then to the IF (International Sports Federations) then the IF will forward it to SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas). All sanctioned games ng FIBA maaapektuhan ‘yun, including PBA,” he added.
It will be a similar situation to that of Kiefer Ravena, who was ineligible to play for the NLEX Road Warriors after testing positive for a banned substance during a FIBA qualifier game in 2018.
The International Testing Association flagged Brownlee on Friday after the urine sample collected from him a day after their historic gold medal win against Jordan tested positive for a banned substance.
Tolentino, however, clarified that Brownlee’s two-year suspension would only be confirmed if his B-sample also tested positive for the prohibited carboxy-THC, which is associated with cannabis use.
If the suspension is imposed, Tolentino mentioned that the POC would appeal, arguing that Brownlee used the banned substance as part of his medication to potentially reduce the punishment to a minimum of three months.
“Kaya inaayos na ni Justin ang mga possible documents na kailangan. We need to prove na ginamit ‘yun for his injury medication so we can appeal to lower the punishment,” Tolentino said.
If this occurs, the Gin Kings will be compelled to start their title defense in the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Nov. 5 with a new import./PN
