Hassan Whiteside plays for Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association. Photo: Xinhua

The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) issued a statement on Saturday responding to the anti-doping violation involving Hassan Whiteside, a US player for the Shanghai Sharks of the CBA. The association pledged to handle the matter seriously.

Whiteside has been found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation following an in-competition test conducted in May, according to an announcement by the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) on Friday. The prohibited substances detected from Whiteside on May 6 were metabolites of oxandrolone and clomifene. The player waived his right to have the B sample analyzed.

In its statement, the CBA said it attaches great importance to the case and is actively cooperating with CHINADA in the investigation in accordance with relevant procedures. Once CHINADA issues its final determination, The CBA will take strict measures against those involved in accordance with anti-doping regulations and the association's rules.

The CBA emphasized its "zero-tolerance" policy toward any form of doping violation. The association vowed to use this incident as a lesson to further strengthen red-line awareness and anti-doping education among all participating teams and personnel, resolutely safeguarding a fair, just, healthy, and positive competitive environment.

The game in which Whiteside was found to have committed the anti-doping rule violation was the opening match of the 2025-26 CBA playoffs between Shanghai and Shandong. He subsequently played in five more games, including all four semifinal matches where Shanghai edged Beijing to reach the finals. Whiteside did not feature in the finals against Zhejiang, as Shanghai defeated Zhejiang 4-1 to claim its second league title in June.