Kuala Lumpur, Jan 28 (IANS) South Korea’s 2008 Olympic champion shuttler Lee Yong-Dae and compatriot Kim Ki-Jung have been banned for one year for missing doping tests, announced the Badminton World Federation Tuesday.
Lee will be banned until Jan 23, 2015, said the statement.
The 25-year-old, who was expected to compete in the Asian Games in Incheon this year, won mixed doubles gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and took a bronze medal in the men’s doubles in London Olympics in 2012.
“Their period of ineligibility is from 23 January 2014 to midnight on 23 January 2015, during which time the players cannot participate in any capacity in a competition,” the federation said in a statement.
The federation said that it may impose disciplinary sanction against the Badminton Korea Association (BKA) for failing to keep the BWF informed about the players’ movements.
The BKA explained the absence of both players during visits by anti-doping inspectors was due to international competition.
“Lee and Kim did not take any banned drugs, refuse doping tests or intentionally shun them,” the BKA said describing the ban as “extreme and unfair”.