Zhou Mi (badminton)
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.
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 Ruina 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 teams in 2002 and 2004.Olympic Controversy
At the 2004 Athens Olympics 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."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 Kong 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 South 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.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 clenbuterol, 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 No. 1 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.
Achievements
Olympic Games
Women's singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2004 | Goudi Olympic Hall, Athens, Greece |  Gong Ruina | 11–2, 8–11, 11–6 | Bronze |
World Championships
Women's singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2003 | National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, England | Gong Ruina | 2–11, 4–11 | Bronze |
| 2001 | Palacio de Deportes de San Pablo, Seville, Spain | Gong Ruina | 9–11, 4–11 | Silver |
Asian Games
Women's singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2002 | Gangseo Gymnasium, Busan, South Korea | Gong Ruina | 11–1, 11–1 | Gold |
Asian Championships
Women's singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2010 | Siri Fort Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, India | Liu Xin | 15–21, 18–21 | Bronze |
| 2002 | Bangkok, Thailand | Zhang Ning | 6–11, 11–3, 11–8 | Gold |
East Asian Games
Women's singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2009 | Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Hong Kong |  Yip Pui Yin | 21–15, 13–21, 10–17 Retired | Silver |
World Junior Championships
Mixed doubles| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1996 | Silkeborg Hallerne, Silkeborg, Denmark | Zhu Feng | Cheng Rui Gao Ling | 8–15, 14–17 | Bronze |
Asian Junior Championships
Girls' singles| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1997 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Manila, Philippines | Gong Ruina | Silver |
Girls' doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1997 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Manila, Philippines | Yu Hua |  Chor Hooi Yee Lim Pek Siah | 10–15, 6–15 | Bronze |
BWF Superseries
The BWF Superseries, launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007, is a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by Badminton World Federation. A season of Superseries features twelve tournaments around the world, including five elevated as Premier Series, which introduced since 2011, with successful players invited to the Superseries Finals held at the year end.Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2009 | Singapore Open | Xie Xingfang | 21–19, 18–21, 21–10 | Winner |
| 2009 | Malaysia Open |  Tine Rasmussen | 17–21, 21–15, 16–21 | Runner-up |
| 2008 | Superseries Masters Finals | Wang Chen | 21–14, 21–18 | Winner |
| 2008 | Denmark Open | Wang Lin | 18–21, 10–21 | Runner-up |
| 2008 | China Masters | Wang Lin | 21–19, 19–21, 21–16 | Winner |
| 2008 | Japan Open | Wang Yihan | 19–21, 21–17, 15–21 | Runner-up |
| 2008 | Singapore Open | Tine Rasmussen | 19–21, 17–21 | Runner-up |
| 2008 | Korea Open | Lu Lan | 21–18, 15–21, 21–15 | Winner |
BWF Grand Prix
The BWF Grand Prix has two levels: Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It is a series of badminton tournaments, sanctioned by Badminton World Federation since 2007. The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation since 1983.Women's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2010 | Malaysia Open | Yip Pui Yin | 16–21, 21–14, 19–21 | Runner-up |
| 2009 | Philippines Open | Wang Xin | 10–21, 21–12, 21–23 | Runner-up |
| 2008 | New Zealand Open |  Rachel Hindley | 21–10, 21–15 | Winner |
| 2008 | Macau Open | Julia Wong Pei Xian | 21–13, 21–19 | Winner |
| 2008 | India Open | Lu Lan | 21–14, 21–14 | Winner |
| 2007 | Philippines Open | Zhu Jingjing | 21–18, 21–12 | Winner |
| 2007 | Thailand Open | Zhu Lin | 22–20, 5–21, 14–21 | Runner-up |
| 2007 | New Zealand Open |  Chie Umezu | 21–13, 21–10 | Winner |
| 2005 | China Masters | Zhang Ning | 3–11, 11–5, 3–11 | Runner-up |
| 2005 | Singapore Open | Zhang Ning | 5–11, 7–11 | Runner-up |
| 2004 | Singapore Open | Zhang Ning | 8–11, 1–11 | Runner-up |
| 2004 | Malaysia Open | Zhang Ning | 11–9, 7–11, 8–11 | Runner-up |
| 2004 | All England Open | Gong Ruina | 7–11, 7–11 | Runner-up |
| 2003 | China Open | Gong Ruina | 13–10, 11–1 | Winner |
| 2003 | Denmark Open | Gong Ruina | 11–4, 10–13, 3–11 | Runner-up |
| 2003 | Malaysia Open | Camilla Martin | 11–1, 7–11, 11–5 | Winner |
| 2003 | Singapore Open | Zhang Ning | 0–11, 8–11 | Runner-up |
| 2003 | All England Open | Xie Xingfang | 11–6, 11–5 | Winner |
| 2002 | Singapore Open | Zhang Ning | 11–6, 11–3 | Winner |
| 2002 | Japan Open | Dai Yun | 7–1, 7–0, 7–1 | Winner |
| 2001 | China Open | Gong Ruina | 7–2, 7–0, 7–4 | Winner |
| 2001 | Malaysia Open | Gong Ruina | 3–7, 2–7, 4–7 | Runner-up |
| 2001 | Japan Open | Gong Ruina | 11–8, 11–0 | Winner |
| 2001 | All England Open | Gong Zhichao | 7–11, 3–11 | Runner-up |
| 2000 | World Grand Prix Finals | Gong Zhichao | 7–5, 5–7, 7–1, 7–0 | Winner |
| 2000 | Denmark Open | Camilla Martin | 1–11, 11–6, 11–7 | Winner |
| 2000 | Dutch Open | Gong Ruina | 11–7, 9–11, 11–8 | Winner |
| 2000 | Thailand Open | Ye Zhaoying | 5–11, 0–11 | Runner-up |
| 1999 | China Open | Gong Ruina | 11–6, 11–5 | Winner |
| 1999 | Denmark Open | Camilla Martin | 11–8, 3–11, 1–11 | Runner-up |
| 1999 | Chinese Taipei Open | Dai Yun | 5–11, 8–11 | Runner-up |
| 1999 | Korea Open | Gong Ruina | 11–6, 13–12 | Winner |
| 1998 | Dutch Open | Yao Jie | 10–13, 13–11, 11–4 | Winner |
| 1998 | Brunei Open | Gong Ruina | 7–11, 4–11 | Runner-up |
Women's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1999 | Dutch Open | Tang Chunyu | Chen Lin Jiang Xuelian | 9–15, 4–15 | Runner-up |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1996 | Brunei Open | Yang Ming |  Sandiarto Vera Octavia | 13–18, 12–15 | Runner-up |
BWF International Challenge/Series
Women's singles| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 2007 | Miami Pan Am International |  Lucía Tavera | 21–7, 21–6 | Winner |
| 1999 | French International |  Aparna Popat | 11–0, 11–2 | Winner |