China's Yu Xiaohan, has received a seven-month suspension from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug.

The sanction, imposed by the BWF Doping Hearing Panel, has resulted from an Adverse Analytical Finding of Yu’s sample taken on 12 July, 2015, at the FISU 28th Summer Universiade in Gwangju, Korea. The sample collected at the 28th Summer Universiade contained Sibutramine, a Specified Substance prohibited “in competition”, the source of which was contained in a supplement that Yu had been taking.

FISU 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, BWF was required to determine the consequences beyond the 28th Summer Universiade.

Appearing before the BWF Doping Hearing Panel on Saturday 30 January 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.

Given arguments and evidence from Yu’s legal representative, the panel stated: “In the athlete’s favour, it is the Panel’s opinion that Ms Yu did not take the pill to cheat or to gain a performance-enhancing advantage.”

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 12 February, 2016, and she may resume her badminton career on Saturday 13 February, 2016.