Curler Briane Harris frustrated at delay in decision on her appeal of doping violation

With the clock ticking on her athletic career and potential Olympic participation, four-time Canadian women's curling champion Briane Harris is frustrated over how long it's taking to reach a decision on her appeal of a doping violation.

Harris tested positive for the banned substance Ligandrol last February and has been provisionally suspended for up to four years. She appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in August, arguing she was unknowingly exposed to the drug through bodily contact.

Harris has been waiting for a decision and said the delay is unacceptable and has taken a toll on her.

"I have been really struggling. I fought to be strong for a long time, but since the beginning of November in particular I've noticed a change in me that I have been unable to control," Harris told CBC Sports. "There is absolutely no reason that it should take this long to release a decision while an athlete's sports career hangs in the balance. This is a totally unacceptable procedure by the CAS."

Harris has not been on the ice since being notified of her doping violation on the eve of last year's Scotties in Calgary. She cannot compete or train and is not permitted to interact with her teammates or coach.

To add to it all, Harris is five months pregnant.

"It's been extremely mentally challenging and very isolating as well. It really worries me what effects the daily intense stress could be having on this baby," said the 32-year-old from Winnipeg, who also has a son. "My main source of peace and patience in this process has been my son. He gives me purpose every day and is the best distraction I could ask for. Without him, I don't think I would have been able to hold on this long without entirely breaking."

Harris, far right, with her team of skip Kerri Einarson, third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard after winning the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 2023. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

CBC Sports has reached out to the World Curling and Court of Arbitration for Sport. At the time of publication, neither organization had responded. In a statement, Curling Canada said "like all stakeholders in our sport, we are waiting for a resolution to the situation so that all of the involved parties can move on."

Harris was tested by doping control officers on Jan. 24 and notified of her positive test on Feb. 15.  A second sample confirmed the positive result. Ligandrol is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. It is used to increase energy and muscle growth.

After a hearing in August, Harris said the CAS notified her in October that a decision had been reached and that they'd be finding out shortly. It's now been more than three months since that email and attempts by her and her legal team to follow up have offered no clarity.

"If the decision has been made and completed for months, why have we still not been told?" Harris said. "Even if we had to wait longer for the reasoned decision to be processed, I needed to know the short decision was reached in the meantime for my well-being."

Harris said she was shocked at the positive result but remains hopeful on being back on the ice soon.

"I would never use an illegal substance. It is not me and it's absolutely not what I stand for," she said. "I always will and always have believed in and abided by fair play.

"I do have confidence [the appeal] will go in my favour. I was very impressed with the case my lawyers, Dr. Emir Crowne and Amanda Fowler, presented in the hearing on my behalf back in August," Harris said. "It was clear that we had a much better case than World Curling and I left the hearing feeling very confident in our efforts.

"If I'm right and the decision is in my favour, that potential good news won't erase the 10 months of punishment I've endured with no end in sight …  during a time where training and competition is of the utmost importance heading into the fast approaching Olympic trials."

Harris said changes in the appeal process and procedure need to be made immediately and that no athlete should have to wait this long to receive a decision, especially if it involves potential contamination from another person or source.

"I worry for athletes who are currently dating. But even married athletes aren't safe if contamination continues to be this easy. You can only control what you and only you ingest, and when that isn't enough, how can anyone be safe and protect themselves?" she said.

"If the testing system doesn't change to better rule out instances of contamination, it's not a matter of if this exact circumstance will happen to another athlete in the future, it's when."