Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk provisionally suspended after failing drugs test

Mudryk

Chelsea player Mykhailo Mudryk has received a temporary suspension from football after being informed of a positive test for banned substances by the Football Association.

The winger hasn't played in the last five games for the club. Chelsea's coach, Enzo Maresca, has mentioned that Mudryk's absence is due to an illness.

It has come to light that Mudryk, who has faced difficulties since signing with Chelsea for £89 million in January 2023, has been absent following a positive test for a banned substance in his A sample. The Ukrainian player is currently awaiting the outcome of his B sample, which will determine if it validates the first result.

A statement from the club read: “Chelsea Football Club has confirmed that the Football Association recently reached out to our player Mykhailo Mudryk regarding an unfavorable result from a standard urine test.”

The club and Mykhailo are in complete agreement with the FA's testing initiative, and all of our players, Mykhailo included, undergo regular testing. Mykhailo has firmly stated that he has never intentionally used any prohibited substances.

Mykhailo and the club will cooperate with the appropriate agencies to determine the reason behind the negative outcome. The club will refrain from making any additional comments.

Mudryk has participated in just one Premier League match this season, during which he was substituted at halftime. However, he has been consistently featured in the Conference League and Carabao Cup. His latest outing took place on November 28 against Heidenheim, where he contributed to Chelsea's 2-0 win by scoring a goal.

He shared on Instagram: "I'm completely stunned by this because I've never intentionally used any prohibited substances or violated any regulations. I'm collaborating closely with my team to find out how this could have occurred."

"I am confident that I haven't made any mistakes and I'm looking forward to getting back on the field soon. I can't share much more at the moment because of the privacy involved in this process, but I promise to update you as soon as I'm able."

In September 2023, Italy's national anti-doping agency handed Paul Pogba a four-year suspension due to a positive drug test. However, following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, his ban was shortened to 18 months. After the reduction was announced, the midfielder expressed, “I have consistently said that I never intentionally violated World Anti-Doping Agency rules when I took a dietary supplement recommended by a physician, which does not enhance or improve the performance of male athletes.”

The FA's anti-doping guidance for athletes begins with a clear message: "As a player, you are entirely accountable for any banned substances you consume or that appear in your body, no matter how they entered your system or whether you meant to cheat." The guidance directs players to the WADA list of prohibited substances and strongly recommends exercising caution if they decide to take any supplements.

The FA chose not to provide any comments.

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