CHELSEA star Mykhailo Mudryk has been provisionally suspended from football and could face a FOUR-YEAR ban after failing a doping test.
The winger, who could cost the Blues £88.5m, tested positive for the A-sample at the end of October.
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Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk has failed a doping test and faces a four-year banCredit: Getty
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He was provisionally suspended by the FA before the second test resultCredit: Rex
Mudryk and Chelsea are now awaiting the result of the B-sample, which will confirm the original test if it also comes back positive.
Ukrainian newspaper Tribuna claims Mudryk tested positive for meldonium, a banned insulin-like metabolic substance.
It can apparently allow the body to “moderately use oxygen and quickly restore energy to prepare for new loads of physical stress.”
Meldonium is widely used in Eastern Europe, and has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of banned substances since 2016.
Tennis star Maria Sharapova was suspended for 15 months after testing positive for meldonium at the Australian Open that year.
But if the B-sample confirms it, Mudryk could face a four-year ban from football – the standard initial punishment set by WADA for using performance-enhancing drugs.
The 23-year-old has already been provisionally suspended by the FA after learning of his initial failure in the A sample.
And Mudryk released a statement Tuesday morning insisting he never “knowingly used any prohibited substance.”
He said: “I can confirm that I have been notified that the sample I provided to the FA contained a banned substance”.
“This has come as a complete shock as I have NEVER knowingly used a banned substance or broken any rules and I am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened.”
‘You have to accept it as it is,’ says Enzo Maresca on Mudryk’s potential as Chelsea underdog struggles for minutes 
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Mudryk joined Chelsea two years ago in a deal that could reach £88mCredit: Getty
What drug did Mudryk take?
By Joshua Jones of SunSport
MYKHAILO MUDRYK returned a positive drug test sample in October.
The Chelsea winger could face a ban of up to four years – because the drug was a performance-enhancing substance.
Allegedly, Mudryk had the drug meldonium in his system.
Meldonium – mildronate – is a metabolic modulator similar to insulin and is widely used in Eastern Europe.
It is used in the treatment of heart disease, but it is also claimed to enable athletes to withstand greater stress, use oxygen more sparingly and quickly restore energy levels.
The World Anti-Doping Agency added meldonium to its banned substance list in January 2016 following its high prevalence at the 2015 European Games in Baku.
Just months later, the International Tennis Federation suspended former world number one and Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova for two years – although this was later reduced to 15 months on appeal.
Sharapova has taken the drug for ten years for various health problems and claimed she did not know it had been added to the banned list.
Also in 2016, Russian boxer Alexander Povetkin had traces of meldonium in his body before he was scheduled to fight another world heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder.
“I know I didn’t do anything wrong and I hope to be back on the field soon.”
“I can’t say more now because of the confidentiality of the process, but I will as soon as I can”.
Chelsea also released a statement insisting that they and Mudryk will cooperate with the authorities.
It reads: “Chelsea Football Club can confirm that the Football Association has recently contacted our player Mykhail Mudryk regarding an adverse finding in a routine urine test.
“Both the Club and Mykhailo fully support the FA’s testing program and all our players, including Mykhailo, are regularly tested.
“Mykhailo has categorically confirmed that he has never knowingly used banned substances.
“Both Mykhailo and the club will now work with the relevant authorities to determine what caused the adverse finding. The club will not comment further.”
How long do drug bans last in football?
Author: SunSport’s Joshua Jones
MYKHAILO MUDRYK could face up to four years in prison after failing a drug 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 be increased to two years if drugs are detected when the player is tested after the match.
But performance-enhancing drugs carry a much harsher penalty.
And most importantly, the alleged drug that Mudryk tested positive for, meldonium, falls into that category.
The standard ban under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code is four years.
That’s how long Paul Pogba was suspended for failing a doping test – although he was later reduced to 18 months due to an appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The FA follows the UK Anti-Doping Code under the authority of WADA and will follow their guidance and procedures.
If Mudryk’s secondary ‘B’ sample also tests positive, he is likely to be hit with at least an 18-month ban, but could be as long as four years.
The only person in football who is currently banned on the UKAD sanction list for an anti-doping rule violation is Craig Campbell.
The former Scotland striker was banned for four years in December 2022 after being convicted of dealing cocaine.
Mudryk has not played for Chelsea since scoring in a 2-0 Conference League win at Heindenheim on November 28.
He was also not in the matchday squad for the 3-0 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League on December 1.
And the official reason for Mudryk’s absence from the club was that he was sick.
Athletic claims that the player intends to vigorously defend his position, which is that he did not take meldonium on purpose, due to an unverified suspicion of sabotage.
Two decades ago, the Blues saw Romanian striker Adrian Mutu handed a seven-month ban from football in September 2004 after testing positive for cocaine.
Mutu’s contract was terminated for breach of contract and Chelsea were eventually awarded £14 million in damages by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
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Former Chelsea star Adrian Mutu tested positive for cocaine in 2004. Credit: Getty
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Paul Pogba has been suspended for 18 months after failing a doping testCredit: AFP
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Rio Ferdinand was handed an eight-month ban in 2003 after failing a drug testCredit: Getty
A year earlier, former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand failed a doping test and was suspended for eight months.
While former United midfielder Paul Pogba was suspended for 18 months in August 2023 after testing positive for the performance-enhancing substance DHEA, leading to the eventual termination of his contract with Juventus.
Mudryk joined Chelsea in a big money move from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023.
He struggled to make an impact in his first six months without scoring in 17 games.
And last season, Mudryk managed to hit the target seven times in 41 outings.
This term, he has three goals in 15 matches, and all of them came in Europe.
But Mudryk remains a key player for Ukraine, winning 12 games in 2024 to take his tally to 28.
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Source: HIS Education