Beijing: According to Chinese media Xinhua news, the Federation of University Sports of China (FUSC) confirmed that Chinese shuttler Yu Xiaohan’s had been tested positive for diuretic furosemide, and her women’s doubles and mixed team silver medals won in the Gwangju Universiade in July had been revoked by Badminton World Federation (BWF).
As of Thursday, it was still largely unknown how the violation could have happened to Yu Xiaohan, since she had completed a drug test three days prior to her departure for Gwangju, and the result was negative.
BWF is currently conducting a comprehensive investigation into the allegation, and could impose further penalties for the violation.
“Yu Xiaohan was tested positive for diuretic furosemide at the Universiade and her results in the competition has been voided,” said Zhao Jian, the deputy director of China’s anti-doping center.
“Furthermore, the Chinese badminton association will also apply its own punishment towards Yu,” added Zhao.
The FUSC found that doping violation had been committed by Yu when they received the notification from the International University Sports Federation at the end of July, 2015, and Yu was stripped of her medals in September.
The 21-year-old Yu Xiaohan was selected for the China national team in 2012. She had been playing in women’s doubles and mixed doubles with multiple partners since then. Before the doping scandal erupted, Yu has been having a breakthrough year in 2015. She and her women’s doubles partner Ou Dongni managed to advance to the semi-finals of Malaysia Open in March 2015, and they defeated No. 1 seeds Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi of Japan to win her maiden Superseries title at the Singapore Open in April.
