Soon after our national pride and Malaysian shuttler Lee Chong Wei was put under provisional suspension after traces of dexamethasone were found in his urine samples taken during the World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark, as anyone would expect, people started talking. What Chong Wei himself didn’t expect was for former national doubles shuttler Razif Sidek (second eldest of the 6 Sidek brothers) to jump in on it and defame him further.
Razif had apparently told Malay daily Kosmo! on 11th Nov that “several Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) officials were aware that Chong Wei had been taking banned substances for some time” but “kept mum as he’s the world’s top shuttle”. He also spouted allegations that Chong Wei had hired a foreign doctor to treat him.
Chong Wei is under provisional suspension and his case will be discussed by the Badminton World Federation Doping Hearing Panel later this month. He faces a maximum 2-year ban but could receive a lighter sentence as he as an exemplary record having passed 124 anti-doping tests in 15 years.
Sources: MMO, The Star Online, Malaysian Insider.
