World No 1 Lee fails dope test

Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei sweats as he waits to return a serve against Vietnam during the men's singles quarter final badminton match at Gyeyang Gymnasium, at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon in this September 27, 2014 file photo. [Photo/Agencies]

Malaysian badminton star Lee Chong Wei faces a two-year ban and could miss the 2016 Rio Olympics after failing a dope test.

The Badminton Association of Malaysia confirmed on Tuesday - Lee's 32nd birthday - that the world No 1 failed the test conducted at the World Championships in Copenhagen in August, Malaysia-based China Press, a Chinese-language newspaper, reported.

Lee is well known to Chinese fans for his competitive clashes with China's Lin Dan. Badminton's best-known rivalry has often ended with Lin emerging victorious with the equally talented Lee left with the silver medal.

The 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and 2012 London Olympics both saw nail-biting confrontations between the pair in the men's single final. They met again in the semifinal at this year's Asian Games in Incheon. On all three occasions a ruthless Lin proved unbeatable.

Lee awaits the result of the "B" sample but if found guilty could face a long ban but with the right of appeal.

He withdrew from the Denmark and French Opens after Incheon citing health reasons and a hectic schedule.