Badminton star Lee Chong Wei gets backdated ban for doping

Amsterdam, April 27 : Former world number one Lee Chong Wei has been banned for eight months by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for doping.

The 32-year-old Malaysian tested positive for the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone during the World Championships in August.

But Lee, who has been suspended since November last year, will be able to compete again May 1 after the ban was backdated.

The BWF said Lee was "negligent", but the degree of negligence was "rather light" as "he did not realise he had ingested a specified substance (Dexamethasone)".

"The panel is convinced this is not a case of doping with intent to cheat," the BWF said in a statement.

Lee was provisionally suspended in November last year and therefore barred temporarily from participating in any competition, till a decision was made.