Lee Chong Wei: I never cheated

Badminton World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei broke his silence after failing a doping test, saying the banned substance found in his urine samples were from a surgery he received in July.

The Malaysian badminton star was trying to clear his image on Facebook on Saturday, saying "I never cheated nor will I ever rely on banned substances."

He also shared a link about the exclusive interview with Malaysian sports blogger Satwant Singh Dhaliwal.

Lee chose to shun publicity after his A sample failed test while waiting for the result of B sample.

Now, with both samples testing positive, the defamed star opened up in the interview with a "voice choking with emotion" about how the alleged doping scandal plagued his life, saying he "was devastated and did not know what to do.".

Investigations showed the drug was injected as part of a surgery procedure on July 18, local newspaper Malaysian Chronicle reported. Lee said in the interview that he "cannot explain" why traces of the drug still lingered in his body when he was tested during the World Championship semifinal in Denmark on Aug 30.

Lee faces a two-year ban and could miss the 2016 Rio Olympics after failing the test but does have the right to appeal.

The doping news sparked concerns among Chinese fans, many of whom are no stranger to Lee's competitive clashes with China's Lin Dan. Lee's name became one of the most searched sports-related phrases on Sunday on Sina Weibo, a popular microblogging service in China, generating more than 15,000 searches.