In a meeting on Thursday afternoon, the PBA board of governors has made it clear that the league will respect the International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) ruling on Kiefer Ravena.
The NLEX Road Warriors rookie has recently been slapped with an 18-month suspension by basketball’s governing body after testing positive for WADA-prohibited substances.
That suspension covers all basketball-related activities, including the PBA. The board added that Ravena will be available to show up in anti-doping seminars and the like.
“The board has taken FIBA’s decision seriously,” said chairman Ricky Vargas. “We also recognize that we are a member of the SBP, and as a member of the SBP, we respect the rules.”
The ban is definitely career-altering for the 24-year-old. The erstwhile Rookie of the Year front-runner will now have to sit out for 18 months, and should he wish to stay in shape, he shall do it on his own.
For now, Ravena has been placed in the Road Warriors’ reserve list until August 2019.
Ravena’s issue is an eye-opener, especially to the league. The board has requested Commissioner Willie Marcial to up his efforts with regards to anti-doping.
“The board has asked the commissioner two things. One, take a look at what the other leagues are doing in sanctions like this and get ideas how they handle situations like this,” said Vargas.
“And second, go through an education campaign especially with PBA players — I think the commissioner has started this three weeks ago — in the WADA list of drugs,” Vargas added.
Vargas also added that the board will now look at the league’s own policies in terms of anti-doping, as they plan to sync these with the terms of other leagues and FIBA.
