Two Americans fail doping tests in top Chinese basketball league

BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese Anti-Doping Agency has released the names of two American basketball players who failed in-competition tests in April during the domestic league.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Chinese Basketball Association said it had been notified by the agency of doping violations involving Montrezl Dashay Harrell and Troy Akeem Gillenwater.

It said both players tested positive for Carboxy-THC and that both have given up the right to have their “B” samples tested. The CBA said it will impose penalties on the players once the anti-doping agency makes a final decision on the case.

Carboxy-THC is found in cannabis. The World Anti-Doping Agency bans all forms of psychoactive cannabinoids during in-competition periods.

Harrell, who was playing for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers at the time of the doping test on April 15, has been associated with four NBA teams. He played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals, winning the Karl Malone Award in 2015 as a junior for being the top power forward in the U.S.

Gillenwater, who was playing for the Guangdong Southern Tigers when his test was conducted on April 16, graduated from New Mexico State in 2011.

“The CBA firmly opposes any form of doping violations and maintains a zero tolerance stance on anti-doping efforts,” a CBA statement said. “We are committed to safeguarding the integrity and fairness of basketball and will not tolerate any breaches of anti-doping rules.”

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