Mykhailo Mudryk has failed a drugs test.
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) December 17, 2024
His statement ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/voFq7WHjHt
Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been provisionally suspended from football after testing positive for a banned substance, as reported by The Times. The 23-year-old Ukrainian international, who joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 for up to £89 million, has not featured in the club’s last five matches.
Mudryk has expressed his innocence, attributing the positive test to potential contamination, and is awaiting the results of a B-sample test to confirm the initial findings. Chelsea FC is supporting Mudryk and conducting its own investigation into the matter.
Mudryk said: “I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to The FA contained a banned substance”.
“This has come as a complete shock as I have NEVER knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules, and am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened”.
Ukrainian outlet Tribuna claims Mudryk has tested positive for meldonium, a banned metabolic substance similar to insulin.
It can apparently allow the body to “use oxygen sparingly and quickly restore energy to prepare for new loads of physical stress.”
Meldonium is widely used in Eastern Europe and has been on the banned list of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2016.
A club statement said: “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 has started only one Premier League game this season, in which he was taken off at half-time, but has been a regular in the Conference League and Carabao Cup. His most recent appearance was at Heidenheim on 28 November, where he scored in Chelsea’s 2-0 victory.
He posted on Instagram: “This has come as a complete shock as I have never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules, and am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened.
“I know that I have not done anything wrong and remain hopeful that I will be back on the pitch soon. I cannot say any more now due to the confidentiality of the process, but I will as soon as I can.”
The FA’s anti-doping advice card for players starts by stating: “As a player you are solely responsible for any banned substance you use or that is found in your system, regardless of how it got there and whether there was an intention to cheat or not.” It points players to the the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) prohibited list and says they are “strongly advised to be very cautious if they choose to take any supplement”.
MYKHAILO MUDRYK could be banned for up to four years after failing a drugs test
But what are the rules regarding drugs in football?
There is a big difference between recreational drugs and performance-enhancing substances.
Recreational drugs – such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin, LSD and MDMA – carry a six-month suspension.
However, this ban can increase to up to two years if a drug is detected when a player is tested after a match.
But performance-enhancing drugs carry a far more severe punishment.
And crucially the alleged drug Mudryk tested positive for, meldonium, falls under that category.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code’s standard ban is four years.
That is how long Paul Pogba was suspended for following his failed drugs test – although it was later reduced on appeal to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The FA follows the UK Anti-Doping code under the WADA authority so will follow their lead and procedures.
Should Mudryk’s follow-up secondary ‘B’ sample also test positive, he is likely to be hit with at least an 18-month ban but it could be as high as four years.
The only person in football currently banned on the UKAD sanctions list for anti-doping rule violations is Craig Campbell.
The former Scottish striker was banned for four years in December 2022 after being convicted of dealing cocaine.
