During one of BWF's out-of-competition testing programme, Zhou tested positive for Clenbuterol, a Class 1 Anabolic Agent on the WADA Prohibited List of substances, BWF said in a release.
After that a BWF doping hearing conducted in Copenhagen on August 23 decided "that a period of two years ineligibility is imposed upon Zhou Mi for the first violation of the BWF Anti-doping Regulations. The period of ineligibility commences from the date of the provisional suspension, 4 August 2010."
"BWF is fortunate that this is the first case that the BWF has ruled on for a number of years. The case sends a strong message to elite athletes in the sport who need to be aware of Prohibited Substances and the consequences of taking these – either deliberately or inadvertently," said Thomas Lund, BWF COO.
Zhou Mi acknowledged that she had taken some common over-the-counter medication but was unaware whether or not it had contained any prohibited substance. "The BWF together with WADA conduct both out-of competition and in-competition testing on a regular basis and athletes need to be aware that they are ultimately responsible for everything they ingest – whether it is taken deliberately or inadvertently," Lund added.
"And this case shows that for a first offence, the punishment is severe." The sanction means that Zhou Mi cannot participate in any badminton tournament at the international, national and local level for a period of two years.