Gilas Asiad gold to remain with PH as Brownlee could face 2-year ban

Justin Brownlee failing a doping test in Hangzhou won’t have any effect on the country’s victory in the men’s 5-on-5 basketball competition at the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games.

“The gold remains with us,” Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said on Friday.

Tolentino stated that if two of Brownlee’s Gilas Pilipinas teammates also test positive, that’s when the Philippines’ gold medal will be forfeited.

He referred to Article 11.2 of the Anti-Doping Rule of the International Olympic Committee, which states under “Consequences for Team Sports” that “If more than two members of a team in a Team Sport are found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation… the CAS [Court of Arbitration for Sport] Anti-Doping Division may impose an appropriate sanction on the team (e.g., loss of points, disqualification from a competition, event, or the Olympic Games Rio 2016, or other sanctions), as provided in the applicable rules of the relevant International Federation, in addition to any consequences imposed upon the individual athletes committing the anti-doping rule violation.”

Brownlee is the second athlete on Team Philippines who tested positive for doping on their A Sample taken during the Hangzhou Games.

Mountain bike cycling athlete Ariana Evangelista earlier returned an “Adverse Analytical Finding” after she was randomly tested ahead of her competition early in the games.

Both Brownlee and Evangelista are provisionally suspended until after the results of their B samples are analyzed in their defense.

Brownlee has until October 19 to contest the result of his A Sample through appropriate procedures set by the IOC, ITA, and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Tolentino said that Brownlee’s teammates have also been tested, as well as their final opponent, Jordan, which also had one player failing the test.

“All Brownlee needs is to prove his innocence in contesting the result if he allows testing his B Sample,” Tolentino said.

A two-year suspension will be imposed if the B Sample also yields a positive result.