Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has been provisionally suspended by the Football Association after testing positive for a banned substance during a routine drugs test. The substance in question is meldonium, a prohibited performance-enhancing drug, and the test reportedly took place while Mudryk was outside the country and not involved with Chelsea.
The incident occurred last month, during Ukraine’s fixtures in Albania and Georgia. Under FA regulations, Mudryk could face a suspension of up to four years if found guilty. In response to the allegations, the 23-year-old issued a statement expressing his shock, firmly maintaining his innocence and insisting that he has “not done anything wrong.”
Mudryk is currently not participating in team training at Chelsea’s Cobham facility and is instead following an individual fitness programme at home. Sources close to the player suggest he is devastated by the situation, which he believes may have been caused by a contaminated sample. Mudryk reportedly has not altered his diet or routine since passing a UK Anti-Doping Agency test in August.
Chelsea have launched their own internal investigation and are standing by the player, reiterating his insistence that he “has never knowingly used any banned substances.” In a club statement, Chelsea confirmed the FA’s contact with Mudryk and underscored their commitment to anti-doping protocols.
The statement read: “Chelsea Football Club can confirm the Football Association recently contacted our player Mykhailo Mudryk concerning an adverse finding in a routine urine test. Both the club and Mykhailo fully support The FA’s testing programme and all our players, including Mykhailo, are regularly tested. Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances. Both Mykhailo and the club will now work with the relevant authorities to establish what has caused the adverse finding. The club will not be commenting any further.”
Mudryk’s case is expected to be closely monitored in the coming weeks as further investigations unfold.
