My thoughts about Kiefer Ravena’s FIBA suspension

My thoughts about Kiefer Ravena’s FIBA suspension

by rick olivares

When Kiefer Ravena entered the press conference area of the training area of the 7^th Floor of the Launchpad building last Monday evening of the 28^th of May, he deliberately avoided eye contact with anyone. For the third time in his young life, the world was a cacophony of social media chatter, chaos, and uncertainty.

After the press conference where it was announced that the young cager was being suspended by FIBA for 18 months, he bravely faced the media for one-on-one interviews. Unlike in previous interviews, he wasn’t smiling. Who would to be honest at a time like this?

I have known Ravena for quite some time. In fact, his parents are old friends dating back to our college days. Furthermore, at one point in our lives, his parents, then newlyweds, became neighbors. We used to play hoops in their backyard. You can take away certain things in Kiefer’s life and he’ll be fine. However, outside his family and loved ones, take basketball away from him, there’s this fear. It is what he wanted and they have been his lifelong goals.

During his third year in college when he hurt himself while shooting a commercial, it was the first time in his life where there was this genuine fear of the unknown. This was no ordinary injury and he wasn’t sure how bad it was. How bad was it? Well, it had an effect on Ateneo’s Season 76 when the Blue Eagles were shooting for a sixth straight UAAP crown.

And now, there’s this… 18 months away from basketball. International basketball is certain. It is his playing in the PBA has to be clarified. I can only imagine how difficult it is to be sidelined and not because of an injury. And well, in front of the media, colleagues, and friends, he’s handling it well. But I am sure, inside, he’s really hurting.

It’s a costly mistake for sure.

However, in some ways, he’s still lucky. Doping sanctions range – depending on the severity – from suspension to a lifetime ban. Eighteen months might be too long or even harsh, but at least, he can come back. He can take heart that tennis star Maria Sharapova’s initial two-year ban for using performance enhancing drugs was commuted to 15 months. Of course, Masha is altogether different; a global superstar who is a magnet for crowds and dollars. Not to mention ratings. 

The suspension hurts NLEX because he has been the sliver of hope for the franchise. He’s on his way to bagging that Rookie of the Year Award and even possibly a spot in the Mythical Five selection. As for Gilas, Kiefer has been one of the most consistent performers with a lot of international experience under his belt. And he has also done in on the 3x3 court. If you ask me, he was our best performer in the 2017 FIBA 3x3 World Cup in Nantes, France as he got it done on both ends of the court more than any other player.

When he does come back, any slot isn’t a certainty. For all you know, that void might be filled.

During the press conference, national team coach Chot Reyes sat and listened. His face didn’t reveal much. But knowing him, he was already thinking forward about who should replace Ravena in the national team. Having Ravena play for a MVP team was a coup because he didn’t need to badger for help. Fortunately for him, Meralco’s Baser Amer seems to have found his deadly form.

I can speculate ad infinitum about who will take Ravena’s place but that’s the coach’s job.

During the presser, SBP President Al Panlilio noted that WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) has a voluminous file of banned substances. This has to be processed with someone familiar with these substances in order to educate athletes everywhere. Despite that, Panlilio was also quick to say that “ignorance is not an excuse.”

It is good that the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission will work hand-in-hand in educating athletes and the public about PEDs and putting up doping control mechanisms. It is no doubt going to be costly, but this will be good in the long run.

If you go to FIBA’s website, they have alarmingly reported a high number of adverse findings for the Higenamine – one of the three substances found in Ravena’s urine sample -- from various geographical regions.

According to scientific reports, higenamine is used as a workout supplement for improving athletic performance. On the other hand, it is also used for weight loss, cough, asthma, heart failure, and erectile dysfunction.

The substance is taken from the plant, aconite. And yet, the side effects – and I assume this is from continued usage - are heart problems and worse, death.

This is FIBA’s adverse analytical findings from 2010-16.

	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016
Atypical Findings	2	3	0	7	6	8	11
Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF)	10	13	16	1	3	21	6
Anti-Doping Rule Violations resulting from an AAF	10	13	16	1	1	6	2
Non-analytical AAF	0	0	0	2	0	0	0

The other two banned substances were 4-Methylhexane and 1,3 Dimethylbutylamine.

What is Methylhexane?

Like 1,3 Dimethylbutylamine, it is banned by WADA and the US Food and Drug Administration. It is commonly found in supplements that claim to help people lose weight, improve athletic performance, and improve brain function. There is concern that it might increase the chance of side effects such as rapid heartbeat, increased blood pressure, shaking, and anxiety. I got that verbatim from WebMD.

Of course, a one-time use doesn’t mean that this will happen. It is the habitual usage.

Nevertheless, whether fortuitously or not, everyone should reflect on this. What are we putting into our bodies in pursuit of perfection? Someone in fact asked during the press conference why was a pre-work out drink important? In this day and age of athletic excellence and gold, shaving off a second or two in finishes, in increasing one’s speed and so on, are an edge.

In the NBA, there hasn’t been much in terms of PEDs abuse (but that depends on which side of the spectrum of debate you belong to). Most recently, the Washington Wizards’ Jodie Meeks was suspended for all the play-offs and the start of the 2018-19 season for testing positive for two PEDs.

Ravena, unfortunately, is the first Filipino athlete suspended for failing a doping test. The country has never had an athlete who has was suspended nor had a medal or trophy returned for such a violation. Of course, that doesn’t mean that there is no problem either. And that is an entirely different story

Nevertheless, this is all unchartered waters not only for Ravena, but also all athletes and local sports federations.

Kiefer Ravena headed into this tough press conference not looking anyone in the eye to mask the pain. But everyone, should look into this matter with two focused eyes because to be honest, we should all learn from this.