“Show more respect”- France veteran Evan Fournier slams FIBA for early morning drug testing amid ‘hardest week’ of camp
Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Evan Fournier expressed frustration with FIBA procedures after being made to report for a drug test early on Saturday morning. The France veteran guard took to X, formerly Twitter, to call out FIBA for the early morning drug test amid their 'hardest week of training camp' and demanded that the association show more respect to their athletes.
"5:55am drug testing today. During the hardest week of training camp. Show more respect to your athletes @FIBA," Fournier tweeted.
FIBA's doping control is classified as "in-competition tests" and "out-of-competition tests." While the first category requires players to undergo testing one day before a contest, the latter category allows any player associated with FIBA through their National Federation to be tested at any time and in any location. Fournier took an out-of-competition test that required him to be present early in the morning.
Evan Fournier will represent France in the upcoming Paris Olympics in July alongside other fellow NBA players, including Nicolas Batum, Rudy Gobert, Victor Wembanyama and Bilal Coulibaly.
The French national team began its preparations for the Olympics on Thursday, while the NBA-contracted players joined the collective training sessions in Rouen on Friday.
Detroit Pistons reportedly decline Evan Fournier's contract option
As reported by James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, the Detroit Pistons are declining Evan Fournier's $19 million contract option after previously acquiring him in a midseason trade from the New York Knicks.
The French guard will be an unrestricted free agent and will be up for grabs during the upcoming NBA free agency.
Fournier played off the bench for just three games with the Knicks in the 2023–24 season before being traded to the Pistons at the 2024 trade deadline as part of a six-player deal. He was the second-oldest player on the Pistons and was primarily used in a bench role.
The veteran guard averaged 7.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 18.7 minutes in the 29 games he played for Detroit, as the Pistons concluded their season with the worst record in the league with 14 wins and 68 losses.
Evan Fournier has played for several teams, including the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Knicks and Pistons, during his 12-year tenure in the league.
Though the 31-year-old may not be a good option as a primary offensive player, his veteran presence would likely be of value to many rosters across the league.