TIM Cone recalled the 'initial shock' upon learning the unfortunate news of Justin Brownlee's positive doping test after the Asian Games.
Brownlee, who tested positive for a banned substance called Carboxy-THC, was equally surprised, according to Cone.
READ: Verdict on Justin Brownlee positive test expected to come out by next week
"First of all, it was a real shock. We didn’t know anything until a couple of days later when we returned to the country," Cone said to CNN Philippines.
"I remember we were having a post-game dinner and we were all waiting for Justin (Brownlee) and Calvin (Oftana) to come to the dinner because they were left behind at the stadium because they were the ones selected to be randomly tested. We waited two to three hours for them to show up, but we had no clue that anything was going to happen at that point," he added.
Cone said he also couldn't figure out how and where Brownlee might have ingested the above-mentioned substance which led to his flunked doping test.
"I don’t know where it could’ve happened. It wasn’t a performance-enhancing drug, an anabolic steroid, or anything like that. There’s no way that he could bring that kind of stuff in China since he’s gonna get in trouble for trying to do that," Cone said.
"We understand that kind of stuff stays in your system for quite a while, so the only thing we could think of was it happened way before he left for China."
'Roll with the punches'
Similar to the team's battlecry in the Asiad, Cone believes Brownlee can and will 'roll with the punches' he's dealt until he can set foot on a basketball court again.
"It kind of blows our mind, and Justin was shocked by it as well. It’s there, it’s done, we can’t bring it back. But just like we kept saying during the Asian Games, during that whole run up to the gold medal, just the things that weren’t working for us here or there," Cone said.
"We just kept telling the guys that we’re just gonna roll with the punches and worry about what’s right in front of us. I think that’s what we’re gonna do with Justin. We’re gonna roll with the punch, see how it evolves, see what happens, and try to deal with it as it comes," he added.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
