Canadian sprinter handed doping suspension

After a long process of appeals, Canadian 400m sprinter Alicia Brown was handed a two-year doping suspension for the presence of hydrochlorothiazide in an out-of-competition test from late November 2013.

Brown was the 2013 national champion over 400m and went on to represent Canada and the world track and field championships in Moscow that summer.

The sample was collected in late November of 2013 and in January of 2014 Brown agreed to a voluntary provisional suspension. An arbitrator originally ruled the athlete was not at fault for the violation, but the decision was appealed by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport and was overturned by an appeal panel on April 20, 2015.

Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic and is banned in sport because it can be used as a masking agent for other performance-enhancing substances.

Due to her acceptance of the provisional suspension, Brown will be eligible to compete again on November 26, 2015, a two-year suspension from the date the test was taken.