Gold medal stays with Gilas amidst Brownlee's doping issue, says POC

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) on Friday assured that the gold medal will stay with the Gilas Pilipinas despite a doping issue surrounding the national team's naturalized cager Justin Brownlee.

Brownlee, who played a crucial role in the Philippines' gold medal run in the 2023 Asian Games, tested positive for the banned Carboxy-THC in a doping result from International Testing Agency (ITA). Carboxy-THC is linked to cannabis use.

Still, POC president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino said the medal won't be stripped based on the 2023 Olympic Council of Asia Anti-Doping Rule which states violation of such rule could be resulting in loss of points or disqualification given that more than two athletes were found guilty.

In Gilas' case, only Brownlee was found positive.

"No. We're still gold. That will not be affected. Kasi ang rule diyan sa anti-doping rule, if that's a team event, bago ka ma-strip of any medals or what, dapat more than two athletes [ang positive]," Tolentino told GMA News Online in an interview.

(No. We're still gold. That will not be affected. The rule on anti-doping is if that's a team event, before being stripped of any medal, two or more athletes [should be found positive.])

Tolentino shared that Brownlee has until October 19 to plead his case to the ITA. After that, he can appeal to test his B Sample and if that also shows a positive outcome, the Barangay Ginebra import will be handed a two-year suspension.

This suspension could include FIBA-sacnctioned tournaments, Tolentino added.

"After October 19 pa 'yung ise-set ng ITA so after October 19, doon pa nila ise-set 'yung date kung kailan 'yung sample B. If it's still positive, the two-year suspension of Brownlee will be sustained," he said.

"Might be [kasama ang FIBA-sanctioned events] kasi baka ibigay nila 'yung result sa FIBA. So the FIBA will also implement that."

(The deadline was set on October 19, so after that,  the ITA will set the date for the sample B. If it's still positive, the two-year suspension of Brownlee will be sustained. [FIBA-sanctioned events] might be included because they might give the result to FIBA so FIBA will also implement that.)

Tolentino also bared that Brownlee might have gotten the prohibited substance during his stay in the USA due to a foot injury.

"Nakausap ko na 'yung SBP kasi hatinggabi namin natanggap 'yan. Brownlee had a medical procedure and treatment before Asian Games, kaya nga siya hindi nakalaro sa World Cup kasi nagpapagaling siya sa US," Tolentino added.

"So baka merong napasamang gamot doon na prohibited or what, eh kasi legal sa US and legal sa Europe so we will just put it in the appeal kung ano man 'yung records na hawak niya."

(I have already talked with SBP because we have received it midnight. Brownlee had a medical procedure and treatment before the Asian Games, that's why he was not able to play in the World Cup because he was recovering in the US. There may be prohibited substance included in it because it is legal in the US or Europe so we will just appeal with the records we have.)

Previously, Filipino mountain-bike rider Ariana Evangelista also failed the doping test in the Asian Games. 

—JKC, GMA Integrated News