BEIJING – Two American basketball players in China’s domestic league have been identified by the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency as having failed doping tests conducted in April. The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) made public on Tuesday that Montrezl Dashay Harrell and Troy Akeem Gillenwater were involved in these doping violations.
The announcement detailed that both players were found to have tested positive for Carboxy-THC. Following this, they chose not to pursue further testing of their “B” samples. The CBA is poised to enforce penalties on Harrell and Gillenwater once the anti-doping agency releases its final decision on these cases.
Carboxy-THC is a substance found in cannabis, and the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits any psychoactive cannabinoids during competition periods.
During the time of testing, Harrell was a member of the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, with his test occurring on April 15. Harrell has a history of playing with four NBA teams and was renowned during his college years at Louisville Cardinals, receiving the Karl Malone Award in 2015 for being the best power forward in the country.
Gillenwater was with the Guangdong Southern Tigers when his sample was taken on April 16. He completed his collegiate basketball career at New Mexico State, graduating in 2011.
The CBA stated, “We firmly stand against any form of doping and uphold a zero-tolerance policy regarding anti-doping measures.” They further emphasized their dedication to maintaining basketball’s integrity and fairness, asserting that they will not accept any violations of anti-doping rules.
In the wake of these revelations, both the CBA and involved parties await the final verdict to determine the appropriate course of action.