FILE–Ariana Evangelista–PHILCYCLING PHOTO
Philcycling (Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines) on Thursday expressed its full backing of Ariana Evangelista after the female mountain biker failed a doping test during the Hangzhou Asian Games.
The country’s cycling federation said in a statement that it was “unfortunate” that Evangelista was handed a provisional suspension after she tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO), a banned performance-enhancing substance.
“It is unfortunate that one of our finest riders in MTB, Ariana Evangelista, is PROVISIONALLY suspended for Adverse Analytical Findings or AAFs,” Philcycling said after the results were released by the International Testing Agency.
“The PhilCycling Federation would extend all the support necessary to our athlete that go within the bounds of regulations of the WADA Independent Observers, WADA, NADO-Philippines, Olympic Council of Asia and Union Cycliste Internationale.
“Philcycling, like all national federations under the wings of the Philippine Olympic Committee, will always be in support of its athletes and on the same level promote with vigor fair play in our sport at all times while condemning the use of illegal substances/doping.”
Philcycling also asked the public “not to render their own judgment until after the final result has been rendered.”
Evangelista competed a day after the test which happened on Sept. 25 and placed 13th in the women’s cross-country Olympic mountain bike event.
She was one of three athletes in the last 24 hours who failed a doping test at the continental meet, joining Uzbekistan cyclist Aleksey Fomovskiy and runner Mohammad Yousif Alasiri of Saudi Arabia.