Sydney Kings forward Xavier Cooks has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for cocaine. The substance detected was a cocaine metabolite.
The maximum penalty is a four-year ban, however, under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, the suspension could be reduced to three months, or even one month with a treatment plan, if proven to be recreational use outside of competition.
The Kings knew about the positive test last Friday and Cooks was absent from the game against the Illawarra Hawks. Cooks is hoping for an urgent hearing to potentially have his suspension lifted. The incident occurred before the finals.
Cooks' camp plans to argue the positive test was unrelated to performance enhancement and should be considered out of competition.