Corey Webster was sent home from the Tall Blacks tour of Australia after failing a drug test for taking a synthetic form of cannabis, his club team the New Zealand Breakers revealed today.
In a statement released today, the Breakers said they have been informed by Webster that he hasreceived advisory from the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority regarding a positive test for a prohibited substance.
The reigning ANBL champions said the point guard is "currently receiving legal advice as to his position, and plans to present his case in detail at a hearing in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Sydney which will be conducted under the jurisdiction of Basketball Australia's anti-doping policy".
Webster, who was sent home on Wednesday ahead of the opening loss of the Olympic qualifying series to Australia, also tested positive to drugs - believed to be cannabis - in a random test in June 2010.
The Breakers understand that the latest positive sample is for "a synthetic form of Cannabis that was not illegal to either possess or consume in New Zealand at the time of the incident, and that furthermore, although it is not deemed to be a performance enhancing substance, it is nevertheless a prohibited substance according to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)".
Basketball Australia has the discretion to provisionally suspend Webster pending the outcome of the hearing.
If found guilty Webster could face a two-year ban.
The Breakers will wait on the outcome of that hearing before determining Corey's future with the team. He will not be involved in the Breakers programme until the hearing result is known, the team said.
