Chinese shuttler Yu banned for doping

Chinese women's shuttler Yu Xiaohan has received a seven-month sanction from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for an anti-doping rule violation at the 28th Summer Universiade in Gwangju, South Korea last year.

The sanction, imposed by the BWF's doping hearing panel, has resulted from an adverse analytical finding of Yu's sample taken on July 12 last year. The sample, which was collected during the 28th Summer Universiade, contained sibutramine, a specified prohibited substance, the source of which was contained in a supplement that Yu had been taking.

The BWF panel heard arguments and evidence from Yu's legal representative and ruled that the shuttler did not take the pill to cheat or to gain a performance-enhancing advantage.

"The FISU (International University Sports Federation) determined an anti-doping rule violation and the athlete was disqualified. Her women's doubles silver medal was reallocated. In the team event, China was disqualified and the team placings were reallocated. Following this process and under article 7.1.1 of the WADA code, the BWF was required to determine the consequences beyond the 28th Summer Universiade," the BWF said in a statement on Friday.

"Appearing before the BWF doping hearing panel on Saturday January 30, 2016, Yu accepted that sibutramine was present in her sample and that she had consequently committed an anti-doping rule violation under regulation 2.1 of the BWF anti-doping regulations (2015). Her argument was that she did so inadvertently and that either no sanction should take place according to Clause 10.4, or at least that any sanction should be reduced according to Clause 10.5.1," the statement added.

"That conclusion led to a sanction of seven months' ineligibility which the panel deemed correct and fair to backdate to the date of sample collection."

This thereby ends Yu's sanction on Friday February 12, 2016, and she may resume her badminton career on Saturday 13 February, 2016.

Yu was a member of the China squad that won gold in the mixed team category at the Asian Youth Championship in 2011. She also won the women's doubles title at the Singapore Open in April last year along with her partner Ou Dongni.