PETALING JAYA – Malaysian diver Wendy Ng Yan Yee will have to return the gold medals she won at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games in August after she failed a doping test.
Wendy’s B sample also tested positive for sibutramine, a stimulant commonly found in slimming products but is on the banned list of substances by the World Anti Doping Agency.
The 24-year-old Wendy, who represented the country and made the 3m springboard individual final at the Rio Olympics last year, was in New Delhi, India two weeks ago to observe her B sample being opened and tested.
Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia secretary Mae Chen confirmed that it was notified of the B sample results on Thursday (Oct 26) morning but will reserve comments until association president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim is notified.
Malaysia will still keep the gold medal in the 3m springboard individual event as Nur Dhabitah Sabri will be promoted to first place now.
Dhabitah originally finished behind Wendy in the 3m springboard individual event.
However, Malaysia will lose the gold medal won by Wendy-Dhabitah in the 3m springboard synchro event.
Singapore’s Ashlee Tan-Fong Kay Yian will get the gold medal instead.
Wendy can expect to be banned for a maximum of up to two years and not four years as the use of sibutramine is not viewed as serious an offence as performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids or erythropoietin (EPO).
Sibutramine is listed in the S6 (specified stimulants) category under the WADA code released in January this year.
Asum, it is learnt, wants to appeal for a lighter sentence for Wendy.
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