By Nick Butler

Lee Chong Wei has been one of sport's outstanding players for the last decade ©AFP/Getty ImagesBadminton has been left reeling this morning by widespread reports that Lee Chong Wei, Malaysia's world number one ranked men's singles player and one of the biggest stars in the sport, has failed a drugs test. 


The 32-year-old claimed silver medals at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, as well as at the 2011, 2013 and 2014 World Championships.

He has also won four gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, including the men's singles at Melbourne 2006 and Delhi 2010. 

Lee is a national hero in his home country, having been awarded a string of honours including being named as UNICEF Malaysia's National Ambassador in February 2009.

But, following reports that a "top athlete" from the South East Asia nation had tested positive for a yet unknown substance following the World Championships in Copenhagen, where Lee lost to China's Chen Long in the final, Malaysia-based China Press, a Chinese-language newspaper, identified the superstar as the individual concerned. 

This has now been followed by various other similar reports in Malaysia and China, with it being claimed that Lee was notified of his failed test on October 1 and requested for the B-sample to be tested 16 days later, a day before the deadline to request for the test.

Lee Chong Wei finished runner-up behind Chen Long at the World Championships ©AFP/Getty ImagesLee Chong Wei finished runner-up behind Chen Long at the World Championships ©AFP/Getty Images



Malaysia's Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has admitted that an athlete from the country had tested positive, but has so far declined to name the person because further tests were ongoing.

"We had informed the athlete concerned who was shocked by the news," he told Malaysian news agency Bernama.

"Athletes cannot blame the coaches or medical specialists but themselves.

"We take this matter seriously, we have zero tolerance for athletes involved in doping."

If confirmed, this would continue a terrible period for Malaysian sport following wushu player Tai Cheau Xuen being stripped of the Asian Games gold medal she initially won in the nanquan and nandao all-round event after she failed for banned stimulant sibutramine.

Lee also won two bronze medals in those Games in Incheon, in the team and singles competitions, where he lost an epic semi-final duel with long-term rival and eventual gold medal winner, Lin Dan of China.

A spokesperson for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has told insidethegames that, because the BWF's Anti-Doping Regulations require confidentiality, the governing body cannot comment on the reports.

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