Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian badminton officials expressed “shock” on Sunday in their first response to doping allegations following reports that world number one Lee Chong Wei failed a test.
The officials refused to identify the player, pending a second test, but local media has reported that the top shutter tested positive for a banned substance at the world championships in Denmark in late August.
“One of our athletes in one major tournament has been found positive,” Badminton Association of Malaysia deputy president Norza Zakaria told reporters after officials met for more than two hours to discuss the matter.
“We are very shocked, sad, and it is an earth-shattering news to us… We are hoping, keeping our fingers crossed that things will come to a positive conclusion at the end of the day.”
Norza confirmed that a second test would be conducted on November 4 or 5 after an initial test found the banned substance dexamethasone, an anti-inflammatory drug.