The Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (Philcycling) assured its support for embattled Filipina cyclist Ariana Evangelista who was placed on provisional suspension after she failed a drug test in the 19th Asian Games.

The mountain-bike rider was found to have used erythropoietin (EPO) based on her blood and urine samples, according to the International Testing Agency.

EPO is considered a performance-enhancing drug typically used by competitive cyclists.

• Pinay cyclist fails doping test in Asian Games

"It's unfortunate that one of our finest riders in MTB, Ariana Evangelista, is provisionally suspended for Adverse Analytical Findings or AAFs, but as the national federation for cycling to which she is attached, the PhilCycling would extend all the support necessary to our athlete that go within the bounds of regulations of the WADA Independent Observers, WADA, NADO-Philippines, Olympic Council of Asia and Union Cycliste Internationale," Philcycling said in a statement released Thursday.

"The PhilCycling, like all national federations under the wings of the Philippine Olympic Committee, will always be in support of its athletes and on the same level promote with vigor fair play in our sport at all times while condemning the use of illegal substances/doping."

The testing was conducted on September 24, but Evangelista was still able to compete in the women's cross-country Olympic-mountain bike competition the next day, finishing 13th.

It typically takes several days for a failed test to come through. -- With a report by Agence France Presse