June 19 – Chelsea and Ukraine winger Mykhailo Mudryk is facing a potential four-year suspension after being formally charged by the Football Association for a doping violation.
The charge follows a positive A sample from last year, which is understood to have contained meldonium – a banned performance-enhancing substance. Mudryk has not featured for Chelsea since November and has been under provisional suspension while awaiting the outcome of further testing and proceedings.
The 24-year-old has enlisted leading legal firm Morgan Sports Law to handle his defence. The same firm recently helped reduce Paul Pogba’s four-year doping ban to 18 months via the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Mudryk maintains he did not knowingly ingest any banned substance. It’s understood he returned a negative test in August and has not altered his routine since.
An FA spokesperson said: “We can confirm that Mykhailo Mudryk has been charged with anti-doping rule violations alleging the presence and/or use of a prohibited substance, in terms of Regulations 3 and 4 of the FA’s Anti-Doping Regulations. As this is an ongoing case, we are not in a position to comment further at this time.”
In his most recent post on Instagram last December, Mudryk commented on the issue: “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 broke 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.”
Chelsea have all but announced their stance on the situation after handing Mudryk’s number 10 shirt to Cole Palmer earlier this month.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1750347163labto1750347163ofdlr1750347163owedi1750347163sni@g1750347163niwe.1750347163yrrah1750347163