Philippine basketball star faces 2nd doping allegation in 3 years

Justin Brownlee complains to the referee while playing for the Philippines in the men's basketball event of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September 2023. Photo by FIBA

The Philippine Basketball Federation (SBP) confirmed that they have received a report of adverse results from Brownlee's doping test.

"The SBP wishes to clarify that FIBA has not issued any official ruling as of date," SBP stated.

Following standard procedure, Brownlee has the right to request a second test after the initial positive result. This process must be carried out at his or the organization's expense.

The SBP is working with Brownlee and his legal team in the U.S. to address the situation. If the ban is confirmed, Brownlee could miss the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, scheduled in Saudi Arabia from Aug. 5 to 17, Philstar reported.

Brownlee, 36, was previously banned for three months after testing positive for a banned substance at the 19th Asian Games in China in 2023, where he led the Philippines to their first gold medal in 61 years in 5x5 basketball. He tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a compound related to marijuana. While not a performance-enhancing drug, it is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

At the 19th Asian Games, Brownlee was the highest scorer for the Philippines across all six matches. In the group stage, he scored 20, 22, and 24 points in wins against Bahrain, Thailand and a loss to Jordan. In the quarterfinals, Brownlee scored 36 points to help the Philippines beat Iran, then 33 points in a win over China. In the final, Brownlee contributed 20 points to secure the Philippines' victory over Jordan.

Born in the U.S., Brownlee stands at 1.98 m. After failing to get drafted by the NBA in 2011, he played in the NBA Development League. Despite this setback, his impressive skills helped him become a top star in the Philippines, where he has played since 2016. Brownlee has won the Philippine Basketball Association league title six times.

In August 2018, Brownlee expressed his desire to become a Philippine citizen and it was granted in January 2023 after President Ferdinand Marcos signed a decree to change the naturalization process. Brownlee made an immediate impact, playing a key role in helping the Philippines win the men's basketball gold medal at SEA Games 32 and later at the 19th Asian Games.

Basketball is the most popular sport in the Philippines, surpassing boxing and volleyball. In the FIBA rankings, the Philippines is ranked 34th globally and 7th in Asia, behind Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Iran, Lebanon and China.