Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk tests positive for banned substance

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has tested positive for a banned substance.

The Premier League club confirmed the “adverse finding in a routine urine test” on Tuesday morning and said Mudryk “has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances”.

Mudryk said on social media that he has “never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules, and am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened”.

The Athletic has been told by multiple sources, who wish to remain anonymous as they are not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, that Mudryk tested positive for meldonium following international duty with Ukraine in November.

Meldonium is an anti-ischemia medication, which, according to USADA (the United States Anti-Doping Agency), is typically used clinically to treat “those suffering from heart conditions, such as low blood flow to the heart and angina”. For athletes, it can assist with endurance and the capacity to recover from exercise.

It is not approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and is only prescribed in parts of eastern Europe. It was added to the World Anti-Doping Authority’s (WADA) banned list in January 2016 and is prohibited at all times, both in and out of competition.

Chelsea said in a statement that “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.”

Mudryk’s statement read: “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.

“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.”

Mudryk joined Chelsea in January 2023 (Joupin Ghamsari/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

Mudryk, 23, signed for Chelsea from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023, in a deal worth €70million (now equivalent to £58m, or $73.6m) plus a further €30m (£24.9m, $31.5m) in potential bonuses.

Former world No 1 tennis player Maria Sharapova tested positive for meldonium in March 2016. She was banned for 24 months before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ultimately reduced the suspension to 15 months on appeal. Boxer Alexander Povetkin recorded a positive test for it in May of that year causing his scheduled heavyweight title fight with Deontay Wilder to be postponed indefinitely.

The English Football Association’s (FA) anti-doping regulations state that any breaches will be dealt with as strict liability violations. This means that a player will be found guilty of a violation if a prohibited substance is found in that player’s body. It is not necessary to demonstrate intent, the regulations say. A player’s alleged lack of intent or knowledge is also not considered a valid defence to a charge.

A violation of the FA’s anti-doping regulations carries with it a maximum penalty of a four-year suspension although mitigating factors can reduce that from anywhere from two years to a month.

Mudryk has not appeared for Chelsea since playing and scoring in the UEFA Conference League victory over Heidenheim on November 28 with head coach Enzo Maresca saying the player had since been suffering from illness.

Multiple sources told The Athletic on Monday that Mudryk intends to defend his position, with the player’s stance explained by people familiar with the case to be that he did not intentionally take the substance and that there is a suspicion of sabotage, although The Athletic has not been able to independently verify that claim.

Chelsea beat London rivals Arsenal to Mudryk’s signature on a seven-and-a-half-year contract with the option of a further year in January 2023 but he has struggled to become a first-team regular in his time at Stamford Bridge.

He has started just 40 games in all competitions for Chelsea, of which 26 have come in the Premier League. There have been another 33 appearances as a substitute.

Mudryk has found some more consistent form under Maresca this season creating five assists and scoring three goals, but has been given just 146 minutes in the Premier League.

Additional reporting: David Ornstein

‘A very significant setback’

Analysis from Chelsea correspondent Simon Johnson

First and foremost, there is no other way to see this other than being a very significant setback for Mudryk’s career.

The consequences of a positive test — if it leads to a ruling against him — no matter what the circumstances behind it, usually mean a lengthy ban and a damaged reputation. In the meantime, FA policy dictates a player is to be provisionally suspended pending any decision.

Mudryk’s struggles in English football have been well documented, but there have been some signs of late that working under Maresca was starting to spark an improvement.

The Ukrainian may be second choice behind Jadon Sancho for the left-wing berth, but he has been proving to be a useful back-up and has still featured regularly, even if all but one of his seven Premier League appearances have been as a substitute this season.

With Chelsea progressing through to the knock-out stages of the UEFA Conference League, there was a very high probability Mudryk would continue to get a chance to shine on the European stage with the club strong favourites to win the trophy in May.

Should he be without Mudryk for the foreseeable future it would be a blow to Maresca as the Italian looks to rotate his squad, although it perhaps gives more opportunities for academy graduate Tyrique George.

There is also a question mark over Mudryk’s availability to help Ukraine qualify for the World Cup in 2026. They have been drawn in a group with Iceland, Azerbaijan and the winners of France’s Nations League quarter-final against Croatia. Ukraine’s first qualifying match is in September.

(Top photo: Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)