Ginebra forward Justin Brownlee during Game 6 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals. Brownlee’s upcoming Gilas Pilipinas stint in the upcoming Fiba Asia Cup is in peril as he faces a possible second doping violation.-MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–Justin Brownlee’s upcoming Gilas Pilipinas stint in the Fiba Asia Cup is in jeopardy.
The naturalized ace faces a possible second doping violation, which could sideline him from the continental showcase penciled in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this coming Aug. 5.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio confirmed to the Inquirer on Monday that the national federation indeed received a notice of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) in one of Brownlee’s random tests.
READ: Justin Brownlee masterclass goes down the drain in Gilas loss
An AAF notification is simply testing positive for a substance in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list.
A media report on Sunday night alleged that Brownlee flunked another test over the use of a recreational drug. His camp remains tightlipped on the matter, while pertinent details continue to be vague as of writing.
What’s certain is that Brownlee is already tackling the matter with the help of his legal team based in the United States, according to the SBP.
A suspension will be Brownlee’s second after testing positive for Carboxy-THC, a compound linked to cannabis, shortly after willing Gilas Pilipinas to the gold medal in the Asian Games in China back in 2023.
READ: Gold remains with Gilas despite Justin Brownlee’s failed doping test
The Tifton, Georgia native went off the grid shortly after as he braced for stiff penalties. He was later slapped with a three-month suspension from partaking in any form of organized basketball, which was later on applied retroactively.
He has since played for Gilas, leading the Filipinos through an unforgettable Olympic Qualifying Tournament run in Riga, Latvia, and eventually, a dominant run in the Asia Cup Qualifiers that sealed the Philippines’ spot in the main tournament set to begin Aug. 5.
In the event that Brownlee is unavailable for the Asia Cup, the Gilas brain trust could turn to Ange Kouame, the program’s other naturalized player, who last played for the Meralco Bolts in the East Asia Super League.
Bennie Boatwright Jr., the former San Miguel import who has since taken steps to gain Filipino citizenship, has yet to finish the arduous process.
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