Since picking Kiefer Ravena second overall in the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft, the NLEX Road Warriors were open in saying that they saw him as an important part of their franchise for the years to come.
With their rookie now in hot water after testing positive for a prohibited substances after playing for Gilas Pilipinas in their second meeting against Japan in the FIBA Asian Qualifiers, the Road Warriors are standing by their guy.
"In the time we've worked with Kiefer, we have known him to be a man of integrity and honor. He has always abided by the principles of fair play and sportsmanship since he was a young boy, which he has continued to demonstrate in his career and as a role model to the youth through his civic activities. While we as a team, do not condone the use of prohibited substances, we strongly believe that Kiefer would not knowingly take any such substance," the official statement read.
They also backed Ravena's explanation for the positive result, saying it happened without malice and without any attempt to get ahead in the game by illegal means.
"The pre-workout aid that Kiefer took is completely legal in the Philippines and readily available at supplement stores around the country. The instance identified by FIBA was the first time that Kiefer tried the said pre-workout aid, and since it was readily available to the general public, he did not realize that it contained a substance specified to be prohibited in FIBA competition," the statement continued.
To further support their claim that it's the first and only time that this happened to Ravena, NLEX listed other drug tests that the PBA rookie passed before under other governing bodies.
"Kiefer has passed multiple drug tests conducted by the PBA since the time he joined the league and has also passed previous tests conducted by the SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) and GAB (Games and Amusements Board). It was an honest mistake. We believe this does not reflect Kiefer's character in any way. We support the SBP's action to seek clarification with FIBA regarding the ruling with regards to whether the suspension will apply to the PBA. We will respect and uphold whatever the final decision will be. We stand by Kiefer-our athlete, teammate, and member of the NLEX family-at this time."
The Road Warriors are currently struggling in the ongoing 2018 PBA Commissioner's Cup as they are at the 10th spot with only a single win against four losses. Ravena, who is currently leading the race for Rookie of the Year, posts norms of 17.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in the conference.
Ravena is deemed ineligible to play for Gilas Pilipinas for 18 months (from February 25, 2018 to August 24, 2019). He will miss the rest of the FIBA Asian Qualifiers but can suit up for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup in China, which will start on August 30, 2019, should the Philippines qualify.