Ravena likely to be suspended from Gilas due to doping, says source

MANILA, Philippines — Kiefer Ravena is likely to face hefty penalties over alleged doping, a source told Philstar.com on Monday morning.

This latest development validates the report first made by Spin.ph saying the 24-year-old national team member tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance during the second window of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

Ravena, who was set to play for the Visayas All-Stars in the final leg of the PBA’s mid-season showcase Sunday night, was hastily pulled out of action by the PBA, saying it was due to Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas’ (SBP) request.

In a separate interview by The STAR’s Nelson Beltran, SBP president Al Panlilio said that Ravena is due to hold a press conference on Monday. The basketball executive did not mention what the briefing is going to be about.

The NLEX rookie was flown back to Manila just as the Iloilo All-Star festivities were unraveling.

The person, an SBP insider who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the NLEX rookie’s pullout and the scheduled presser are related to the cager’s purported doping.

“He might be suspended,” the source offered, adding that the presser will likely reveal how the SBP will deal with the sanctions to be meted out by FIBA. 

“This has happened before — to other countries’ players. What is definite is he’s going to face penalties,” he added. “Whether it’s for just a game or for multiple games, that’s what we’re bound to know today.”

The press briefing is set 6 p.m. on Monday night in Mandaluyong.  

The source added that the SBP has tried to keep the information only to its upper echelon but the information has leaked from other institutions.

Philstar.com sought PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial for a comment through a text message but has yet to reply as of this story’s publishing.

Ravena, the second overall pick of this year’s PBA draft, has played in all of the Gilas games in the Asian qualifiers. He currently norms 7.3 points and 3.3 assists per contest, with his best coming in the victorious home game against the Japanese.

Gilas is set to play in the third window of the global skirmishes. They face Taiwan on the road on June 29 to cap the first round, and then open the second round with a game against Australia in Bulacan on July 2.