Asiad cyclist Evangelista files appeal after failing dope test

MANILA, Philippines -- "Many” factors might have led Ariana Evangelista to fail her doping test in the Asian Games, the cyclist said Friday night.

The International Testing Agency (ITA) two days ago flagged Evangelista after erythropoietin was found in her blood and urine samples.

She was also provisionally suspended.

Evangelista, in a Facebook post, said that she is currently waiting for the results of her B-sample.

She said she already sent an appeal on October 4, and a reply is still yet to be given as of Friday evening.

“In the meantime, I deeply apologize to everyone for this issue and please know that it was not and will never be my intention to bring shame to our country,” the cyclist said.

Evangelista bared that she was already tested numerous times in the past, and it is only now that she was flagged for a banned substance.

“There were many factors that could have [led] to the initial failing of the test and I have emailed those factors to the ITA already,” she said.

Earlier this year, she was supposedly tested twice - during the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games and the Coupe du Japon Yawatahama International MTB Race in Japan.

“Both happened in May 2023 and with presumably negative results, as I did not receive any notice like what happened for the China Asian Games,” she said.

Evangelista also bared that she deleted her Facebook app Thursday morning and she once again did after posting the statement, to “protect my mental and emotional health from reading comments from people who do not know the whole story yet.”

On Thursday, the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines Inc. threw its support to Evangelista.