Lee Chong-Wei toppled from top No. 1 badminton ranking

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) –

Malaysia’s Lee Chong-Wei, pictured during a match played in New Delhi, in April. Lee has surrendered his world number one ranking to arch-rival Lin Dan of China after nearly four years at the top.

Injury-hit Malaysian badminton hero Lee Chong-Wei has surrendered his world number one ranking to arch-rival Lin Dan of China after nearly four years at the top.

Lee, who is racing to recover from an ankle injury before the London Olympics, drops to second place in the latest Badminton World Federation standings.

The 29-year-old damaged a ligament at the Thomas Cup last month. He has been undergoing stem-cell injections and 12 hours’ rehabilitation a day in a desperate bid to be fit for London.

Lee became world number one in August 2008, after the Beijing Olympics — where he lost in the final to Lin.