Zhou Mi
Encyclopedia
Zhou Mi is a Chinese
female badminton
player. During much of her career she represented the People's Republic of China
, but since 2007 she has represented Hong Kong
which has a sports program and teams independent from those of the mainland. In 2010 she received a 2 year ban, for failing a drugs test.
at the 2001 IBF World Championships
and was a bronze medalist at the 2003 Championships
. She won women's singles at the quadrennial Asian Games
in 2002
, defeating Gong Ruina in the final. Zhou is a three time finalist at the prestigious All-England Championships
where she captured the title in 2003
. She played singles for world champion Chinese
Uber Cup
(women's international) teams in 2002 and 2004.
Zhou reached the semifinal round where she was eliminated from gold medal contention by fellow countrywoman Zhang Ning
. She then defeated Gong Ruina in the playoff for the bronze medal. The circumstances behind Zhou's semifinal defeat are controversial, however, because China's national coach Li Yongbo
later confirmed rumors that he had instructed Zhou not to fight hard after she had dropped the first game to Zhang. His rationale was that a fresh Zhang Ning would have a better chance to defeat a non-Chinese opponent, the Netherlands
' Mia Audina
, in the final.
through its Quality Migration program
. Zhou then reemerged on the world badminton circuit during the 2007 season. From a weak start at the Singapore Open
her results dramatically improved to the point where she had regained a number one world ranking as of the end of the year 2008. Since launching her comeback Zhou's titles have included the New Zealand
and Philippines Opens
in 2007, and the Korea
, India
, Macau Opens
, and China Masters
in 2008. In December, Zhou ended the 2008 season by winning the BWF Super Series Masters Finals
, the biggest prize money event in the sport.
, a Class 1 Anabolic Agent on the WADA Prohibited List of substances.
On 27 October 2011, more than one year after she was handed a two-year ban for testing positive for clenbuterol
, former badminton world No1 Zhou Mi reiterated her innocence. "At the time of the test, I was not competing or preparing to compete. There was not even the slightest reason or incentive for me to take any performance- enhancing substance," said Zhou. Regardless of the incident, Zhou, now 32, added it was time for her to retire from the sport. Clenbuterol can be consumed from eating contaminated food.
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
female badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
player. During much of her career she represented the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, but since 2007 she has represented Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
which has a sports program and teams independent from those of the mainland. In 2010 she received a 2 year ban, for failing a drugs test.
Career
Since 1998 Zhou has won more than twenty international singles titles on the world circuit and has achieved number one world rankings at various times. She was a silver medalist behind compatriot Gong RuinaGong Ruina
Gong Ruina is a female badminton player from the People's Republic of China.-Career:Gong Ruina was one of the world's leading women's singles players in the first few years of the 21st century. She won a number of top tier international titles including the 2001 IBF World Championships in Seville,...
at the 2001 IBF World Championships
2001 IBF World Championships
The 12th IBF World Championships, also known as the World Badminton Championships, were held in the Palacio de Deportes de San Pablo, Seville, Spain, between 3 June and 10 June 2001.-Medalists:-Men's Singles:-Women's Singles:-Men's Doubles:...
and was a bronze medalist at the 2003 Championships
2003 IBF World Championships
The 13th IBF World Championships were held in the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, United Kingdom, between 28 July and 3 August 2003. The championships had originally been planned to take place from 12 May-18 May, but were rescheduled following the international outbreak of SARS.This edition also...
. She won women's singles at the quadrennial Asian Games
Badminton at the Asian Games
Badminton is one of the regular Asian Games sports since 1962 in Jakarta, Indonesia.-History:Badminton made its debut in the Asian Games as a demonstration sport at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, Japan, and became a regular competitive sport in 1962. In the 1962 Games, six events were held, with...
in 2002
Badminton at the 2002 Asian Games
Badminton was contested at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea. Singles, doubles, and team events were contested for both men and women. Mixed Doubles were also contested...
, defeating Gong Ruina in the final. Zhou is a three time finalist at the prestigious All-England Championships
All England Open Badminton Championships
The All England Open Badminton Championships, or simply All England, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious badminton tournaments. Played annually, it developed after the success of world's first badminton tournament held in Guildford in 1898...
where she captured the title in 2003
2003 All England Open Badminton Championships
The 2003 All England Open was the 93rd edition of the All England Open Badminton Championships. It was held from February 11 to February 16, 2003, in Birmingham, England.It was a four star tournament and the prize money was USD$125,000.-Final results:...
. She played singles for world champion Chinese
China national badminton team
The China national badminton team represents the People's Republic of China in international badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Badminton Association of the People's Republic of China, the governing body for badminton in China....
Uber Cup
Uber Cup
The Uber Cup, sometimes called the World Team Championships for Women, is a major international badminton competition contested by women's national badminton teams. First held in 1956-1957 and contested at three year intervals, it has been contested every two years since 1984 when its scheduled...
(women's international) teams in 2002 and 2004.
Olympic Controversy
At the 2004 Athens OlympicsBadminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics was held at the Goudi Olympic Hall at the Goudi Olympic Complex from August 14 through August 21. Both men and women competed in their own singles and doubles events and together they competed in a mixed doubles event....
Zhou reached the semifinal round where she was eliminated from gold medal contention by fellow countrywoman Zhang Ning
Zhang Ning
Zhang Ning is a female badminton player from the People's Republic of China. She won the Olympic gold medal twice for women's singles in both 2004 and 2008...
. She then defeated Gong Ruina in the playoff for the bronze medal. The circumstances behind Zhou's semifinal defeat are controversial, however, because China's national coach Li Yongbo
Li Yongbo
Li Yongbo is a retired Chinese male badminton player and now the head coach of Chinese National Badminton Team.-Career:As a player he was a men's doubles specialist noted for his quickness, reflexes, and power. From the mid-1980s to the early 1990s he shared numerous international titles with his...
later confirmed rumors that he had instructed Zhou not to fight hard after she had dropped the first game to Zhang. His rationale was that a fresh Zhang Ning would have a better chance to defeat a non-Chinese opponent, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
' Mia Audina
Mia Audina
Mia Audina Tjiptawan ; born 22 August 1979) is a former Chinese Indonesian badminton player who represented Indonesia and later the Netherlands in international competitions. A badminton prodigy, Audina first played Uber Cup for Indonesia at fourteen, winning the decisive final match in the...
, in the final.
"Retirement" and comeback
Whether the Olympic episode or subsequent injury and poor performance was the primary cause, Zhou apparently retired from badminton during the 2005 season. She played no tournaments in 2006 but secured residence in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
through its Quality Migration program
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme
The Quality Migrant Admission Scheme is a points-based immigration system in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China...
. Zhou then reemerged on the world badminton circuit during the 2007 season. From a weak start at the Singapore Open
2007 Singapore Super Series
-Seeds:# Xie Xingfang# Zhang Ning# Zhu Lin# Xu Huaiwen# Lu Lan# Pi Hongyan# Yao Jie# Wang Chen-Results:-Seeds:# Fu Haifeng / Cai Yun# Jens Eriksen / Martin Lundgaard Hansen# Markis Kido / Hendra Setiawan# Candra Wijaya / Tony Gunawan...
her results dramatically improved to the point where she had regained a number one world ranking as of the end of the year 2008. Since launching her comeback Zhou's titles have included the New Zealand
New Zealand Open (badminton)
The New Zealand Open in badminton is an international tournament held in New Zealand.-Previous winners:...
and Philippines Opens
Philippines Open (badminton)
The Philippine Open in badminton is an international open held in the Philippines since 2006. The 2008 tournament, schedule to be held from June 3 to June 8, was removed from calendar with unknown reasons.-Previous winners:-External links:*...
in 2007, and the Korea
Korea Open (badminton)
The Korea Open is an annual badminton event that commonly held in Seoul, South Korea. The tournament is also known as Korea Open Super Series because it become one of the BWF Super Series tournament began 2007....
, India
2008 BWF Grand Prix Gold and Grand Prix
The 2008 BWF Grand Prix Gold and Grand Prix is the second season of BWF Grand Prix Gold and Grand Prix with fourteen tournaments in contested. The season will start with German Open and ended with Vietnam Open.-India Open:...
, Macau Opens
Macau Open Badminton Championships
The Macau Open Badminton Championships is an open international championship in badminton held in Macau since 2006.In 2007 the tournament was categorised by the Badminton World Federation as Grand Prix Gold level event, which carried a total prize money of US$120,000.-Previous winners:-External...
, and China Masters
China Masters
The China Masters in an annual badminton tournament held in China. It became part of the BWF Super Series tournaments in 2007.-Past winners:-External links:*...
in 2008. In December, Zhou ended the 2008 season by winning the BWF Super Series Masters Finals
BWF Super Series Masters Finals
The BWF Super Series Masters Finals is an annual badminton tournament held at the end of the year where the players compete for total prize money of US$500,000, the biggest total prize money event in BWF calendar....
, the biggest prize money event in the sport.
Positive clenbuterol test and two years ban
The BWF announced on 4 September 2010 that a BWF Doping Hearing conducted in Copenhagen on Monday 23 August has banned Zhou Mi for 2 years from participation in badminton, following an Adverse Analytical Finding. A sample taken from her in late June as part of the BWF's 'out-of-competition' testing programme. Zhou tested positive to clenbuterolClenbuterol
Clenbuterol is a sympathomimetic amine used by sufferers of breathing disorders as a decongestant and bronchodilator. People with chronic breathing disorders such as asthma use this as a bronchodilator to make breathing easier...
, a Class 1 Anabolic Agent on the WADA Prohibited List of substances.
On 27 October 2011, more than one year after she was handed a two-year ban for testing positive for clenbuterol
Clenbuterol
Clenbuterol is a sympathomimetic amine used by sufferers of breathing disorders as a decongestant and bronchodilator. People with chronic breathing disorders such as asthma use this as a bronchodilator to make breathing easier...
, former badminton world No1 Zhou Mi reiterated her innocence. "At the time of the test, I was not competing or preparing to compete. There was not even the slightest reason or incentive for me to take any performance- enhancing substance," said Zhou. Regardless of the incident, Zhou, now 32, added it was time for her to retire from the sport. Clenbuterol can be consumed from eating contaminated food.