Comish on the ball

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner Noli Eala delivered a strong declaration of war against drugs when he lowered the boom on Asi Taulava and Dorian Peña for turning out positive in marijuana tests recently.

Taulava and Peña were suspended two games each. Once they’re reinstated, both Fil-foreigners will be tested before suiting up in every game the rest of the All-Filipino Cup. A second violation will result in a 45-day suspension and a third offense will mean a lifetime ban from the PBA.

Eala’s decision to crack the whip on Taulava and Peña is a warning that the league won’t go easy on drug users. The PBA’s anti-drug policy, in fact, lists stiffer penalties than the National Basketball Association (NBA) version. That’s because Eala, a lawyer, is a stickler for doing what is right — he won’t tolerate shenanigans. All he wants is to safeguard the PBA’s reputation. If PBA players are supposed to be role models for the youth, they’ve got to be upright, clean-living citizens. Eala is making sure the PBA won’t ever travel the dirt road that the NBA took in the 1980s when as Commissioner David Stern admitted, its image was "absolutely terrible" because of rampant drug use by players.

But let’s spare Taulava and Peña more embarrassment than they deserve. Only "slight" traces of marijuana were found in their urine samples and subsequent tests proved negative. "The players were perhaps accidental or incidental users and that these were separate incidents," noted Eala.

Still, Eala stuck to his position, no matter if the second tests were negative. "We wish to stress that the Commissioner’s Office will under no circumstances tolerate violations of league rules and the country’s laws by any player and will apply the necessary sanctions for such violations without fear or favor," he said.

Curiously, if Taulava and Peña played in the NBA, they wouldn’t have been suspended for their first offense.

In the NBA’s drug policy (ratified in 1999 and in effect up to at least the 2003-04 season when a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is negotiated), a first-time offender for marijuana can continue to play but must enroll in a league-administered treatment program. A second offense will mean a $15,000 fine and mandatory treatment. A third offense will result in a five-game suspension without pay and mandatory treatment. Players cannot be banned from the league for marijuana use but may be slapped consecutive five-game suspensions.

Marijuana wasn’t in the list of prohibited substances in the NBA’s first anti-drug policy instituted in 1984. Before the 1999 agreement, NBA players testing positive for marijuana were disciplined by the Commissioner only if usage led to a criminal conviction.

The NBA, however, is firm against hard drugs. A player testing positive for amphetamine and its analogs, cocaine, LSD and opiates is dismissed from the league outright. A veteran player may apply for reinstatement after two years and a rookie, after a year. A player testing positive for steroids will be suspended for five games and required to undergo treatment on the first offense. A second offense will mean a 10-game suspension and treatment. A third or subsequent offense will result in a 25-game suspension and treatment. A player convicted of a crime related to the use or possession of steroids will be banned from the league.

Last season, NBA center Shawn Kemp was suspended for five games without pay, losing over $140,000, after testing positive for marijuana use. He was suspended last week for failing to submit to a drug test then reinstated after three days.

Marijuana usually stays in the system for six to eight weeks. While the substance isn’t as hard as cocaine, the fact is it’s illegal.

"If it’s illegal then I guess it should be illegal in the league, too," said Atlanta forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Former NBA coach Brian Hill noted, "Adding marijuana (to the list of prohibited substances) is good because certainly that can have an impact on a player’s performance and it’s not legal." New York Knicks star Allan Houston added, "It’s an illegal substance. Why should a professional athlete be allowed to use it? That’s what it comes down to."

In the NBA, there are several steps to take before declaring a player positive for drug use. A player, for instance, may request for a retest after two days and if the retest turns out negative, he will likely get off the hook. In the case of Taulava and Peña, their retests were negative but as a warning to others, they were penalized just the same for testing positive earlier.

Eala has addressed the issue of drug use decisively. It’s the only way to attack the problem. Aside from random testing, perhaps the PBA could offer treatment to players who voluntarily seek rehabilitation without fear of penalty.

Taulava and Peña denied they used marijuana. Still, the first tests were conclusive. You can’t inhale marijuana into your system and it’s not contagious. But you’re inclined to give both players the benefit of the doubt because their retests were negative. So it’s possible the samples of the first tests were questionable. The doubt leaves no permanent stigma on Taulava and Pena as offenders so let’s not be too harsh on them.

Because of the sensitive nature of drug use, the NBA will never discuss the treatment or testing of any player in public, other than to announce a suspension, dismissal or reinstatement. No details of drug use are ever publicized. This is a policy the PBA should consider adopting to protect the image of offenders who voluntarily submit to treatment.

Eala has taken a bold and positive move in declaring war on drugs. The Commissioner’s made it crystal-clear the PBA will never compromise its integrity.

Postscript. Don’t miss the World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight title fight between defending champion John (The Quiet Man) Ruiz and undisputed lightheavyweight ruler Roy Jones, Jr. at 1 p.m. today on RPN-9. Jones is a 9-5 favorite even as he’s physically dwarfed by Ruiz who is three inches taller and over 30 pounds heavier. Jones will also labor behind a 7 1/2 inch handicap in reach. Ruiz, who once floored Evander Holyfield, is so confident he agreed to a no-guarantee purse equivalent to 40 percent of net receipts. Jones’ take is a guaranteed $10 Million plus 60 percent of profits. Obviously, Jones won’t engage Ruiz in a slugfest–he’ll be eaten alive in a toe-to-toe battle. Jones will use his quickness to run circles around Ruiz. A knockout win is out of the question for Jones. Ruiz, on the other hand, will try to overpower Jones and force a waterfront brawl. Noted trainer Emanuel Steward predicted Jones to win on points but Montell Griffin–the only fighter to beat Jones on a dubious disqualification–said Ruiz will score a bone-crunching knockout. You’ve got to see it to believe it.