Kerri Einarson's rink confirms curler Briane Harris suspended for doping violation
CTV
Canadian curler Briane Harris was ineligible to compete in the national women's championship because she tested positive for a banned substance.
Canadian curler Briane Harris was ineligible to compete in the national women's championship because she tested positive for a banned substance.
The 31-year-old from Winnipeg was declared ineligible to compete in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary hours before her team skipped by Kerri Einarson played its opening game Feb. 16.
Harris tested positive for trace amounts of Ligandrol in an out-of-competition doping control test conducted on Jan. 24.
Ligandrol is on the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of prohibited substances. It is used to increase energy and muscle growth. According to the United States Doping Agency, there is no medical use for LGD-4033, the developmental code name for Ligandrol.
"As best as can be determined at this time, Ms. Harris was unknowingly exposed to the banned substance through bodily contact," said Harris's lawyer Amanda Fowler in a statement. "In the circumstances, Ms. Harris is therefore keen to clear her name and will seek to expedite any process of mechanism to facilitate such vindication."
The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports conducts testing both in competition and outside of competition.
When an athlete provides a urine sample, it is divided into A and B bottles, which gives the athlete a second analysis in the event a banned substance turns up in their A sample.