The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has provisionally suspended Lee Chong Wei, due to an Adverse Analytical Finding concerning a sample taken at the BWF World Championships in August. ‘The BWF has referred the matter to the BWF Doping Hearing Panel and, in due course, the Chair of the Panel will set the time, date and location of a hearing’, read an 11 November BWF statement. ‘The Panel will determine whether or not the athlete has committed an anti-doping regulation violation.’

The BWF said that Lee Chong Wei, ranked as the men’s singles world number 1 with 97,131 points by the BWF, could now be identified ‘in accordance with Clause 14.4.1 of the BWF Anti-Doping Regulations’, available here. This requires that once an anti-doping rule violation has been established, the BWF must report that violation within 20 days. It also requires appeals to be lodged within 20 days. It was reported that Wei had failed a doping test on 23 October. It is understood from postings on Wei’s Twitter account that he did not intend to cheat. It has been reported that London-based lawyer Mike Morgan, of Morgan Sports Law LLP, is acting for Lee.

‘The Provisional Suspension (Clause 7.6.2) means the athlete is barred temporarily from participation in any competition prior to the BWF Doping Hearing Panel’s decision’, continued the statement.  ‘There will be no further comment from the BWF regarding this matter until the BWF Doping Hearing Panel makes its determination’.