Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is facing a potential ban after failing a doping test.
As first reported by Ukrainian outlet Tribuna on Monday evening, a banned substance was discovered in Mudryk’s ‘A’ sample from a doping test was carried out in October.
A request for the ‘B’ sample to be analysed has now been made in order to verify the adverse finding.
Mudryk has now been provisionally suspended while an investigation into his doping test is completed.
A message from Mudryk on his Instagram account 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.’
A statement from Chelsea on Tuesday morning read: ‘Chelsea Football Club can confirm 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, who Chelsea signed in an £89 million deal from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023, has not played for Enzo Maresca’s side since the 2-0 win over FC Heidenheim in the Conference League on November 28.
The 23-year-old was on the bench for Chelsea’s 3-0 win at home to Aston Villa on December 1 but was left as an unused substitute.
Mudryk has been not been included in Chelsea’s last four matchday squads.
On December 6, Maresca claimed that Mudryk had missed Chelsea’s matches against Southampton and Tottenham due to ‘illness’.
Mudryk was also not part of Chelsea’s training sessions last week ahead of their wins over Astana in the Conference League and Brentford in the Premier League.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA), players who fail a drugs test can be banned from football for up to four years.
Paul Pogba, who tested positive for the banned substance dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) last August, was initially given a four-year suspension before it was reduced to 18 months following a successful appeal to the court of arbitration for sport.
Pogba, who is now without a club after leaving Juventus, is eligible to return to football in March 2025.
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