Chelsea star faces potential four-year doping ban

Mykhailo Mudryk during Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Nov. 3, 2024. Photo by Reuters

Ukrainian media reported that the banned substance was detected in Mudryk's A sample during a doping test in late October. The player's B sample will be tested in the coming days to confirm the result.

Under England's FA regulations, any player testing positive for a banned substance is temporarily suspended while official charges are considered. If found guilty, Mudryk could receive a four-year ban. During this period, the player is allowed to present his case to the FA and his club.

Chelsea issued a statement on Tuesday, confirming that they had spoken to Mudryk regarding "an abnormal result in a routine urine test." The club confirmed its commitment to the FA's anti-doping program and emphasized that all players are regularly tested. According to the statement, Mudryk has denied intentionally taking any banned substances and pledged to cooperate with authorities to resolve the matter.

Mudryk also addressed the situation on Instagram, expressing shock at the test result.

"I have never intentionally taken any banned substances or broken any rules," he said, Mudryk added that he could not comment further due to the confidentiality of the process but hoped to return to play soon.

According to talkSPORT, the substance in question is meldonium, a drug banned for its endurance-enhancing effects. Meldonium, commonly used in certain Eastern European countries, is found in anti-ischemic medications designed to increase blood flow.

While approved for clinical use in some regions, meldonium is not authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The drug improves endurance and speeds up recovery by optimizing oxygen usage and restoring energy after exercise.

Mudryk, 23, joined Chelsea in January 2023 from Shakhtar Donetsk for a total fee of $119 million. During his time at Shakhtar, he scored 12 goals and provided 17 assists in 44 appearances. Despite his hefty price tag and weekly earnings of over $100,000, Mudryk has struggled to make a significant impact at Chelsea, recording just 10 goals and nine assists in 73 games.

The meldonium case of Mudryk is similar to that of tennis legend Maria Sharapova, who tested positive for the same substance at the 2016 Australian Open. Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion, was initially banned for two years, though the suspension was later reduced to 15 months. Sharapova argued that she had been using meldonium since 2006 for health reasons and was unaware of its addition to the World Anti-Doping Agency's banned list on Jan. 1, 2016, just weeks before her doping test.