It's important to know the whole picture first.
Not even a week has passed since Gilas Pilipinas won a historic gold in the Asian Games, and it is already dealing with controversy: that of Justin Brownlee's failed doping test.
Fans are skeptical and questioning the timing of the result's release. Most fans directed their ire on China, with some saying that the host country is just fabricating the whole thing. Philippine officials, on the other hand, are already weighing the options for Brownlee as the naturalized player's professional career is in jeopardy following the ruling that saw the six-time PBA champion test positive for traces of carboxy-THC. Kabayan could potentially face a two-year suspension—no doubt a lifetime for the now 35-year-old cager.
JB, though, is not the first basketball player in the local scene to have been embroiled in a drug-related issue. Others, including one of JB's brothers in the national team, have also faced scrutiny due to allegations of drug use. Here are some of them:
Kiefer Ravena
Like Brownlee, Ravena also tested positive for a banned substance following a Gilas Pilipinas game in 2018. The NLEX Road Warriors guard at that time tested positive for higenamine, methylhexaneamine, and 1,3-Dimethylbutylamine. Ravena supposedly got those from taking a supplement, and he vehemently clarified that he wasn't aware that he was ingesting said banned ingredients. Despite it being an honest mistake, Kiefer was still slapped with an 18-month suspension from any FIBA-related games.
Derek Hamilton
During their Grand Slam run in the 1996 season, the then Alaska Milkmen faced controversy after their import, the high-flying Hamilton, tested positive for marijuana following a drug test conducted by the league in the middle of the PBA Commissioner's Cup. Hamilton was ultimately banned from the league after the positive result. Sean Chambers took over for Hamilton and led the Milkmen to the title—their second that season en route to a memorable Grand Slam.
Jimwell Torion
The former Red Bull Barako guard was slapped with an indefinite ban in 2003 after failing a drug test, with shabu supposedly found in his system. The league eventually lifted that suspension after Tora-Tora completed rehab and purportedly showed good conduct. The 5-foot-9 playmaker, though, was never the same upon his return, and he was out of the league just a year later. Curiously, Torion was caught in a drug den 12 years after his initial flunked test.
CJ Lazarte
Just last August, the former San Miguel Beermen player was arrested in Davao City due to alleged possession of illegal drugs. A quick check on Lazarte's social media account shows that the hooper is already out of jail and is trying to bounce back from that setback.
There is no doubt that illicit drugs has no place in sports or in society in general. Even so, every case is different, and while those of Torion, Hamilton, Ravena, and Lazarte have been scrutinized already and resolved, Brownlee's remains an open book. So, it is vital to exercise prudence, reserve judgment, and wait for things to unfold.
(MDB)