Chelsea and Ukraine footballer Mykhailo Mudryk fails drug test

The London-based club confirms that the 23-year-old has tested positive for a banned substance.

Chelsea player Mykhailo Mudryk has failed a doping test, the Premier League club said. According to reports, the Ukrainian international has been provisionally suspended.

The Blues said they had been informed by the Football Association (FA) of an “adverse finding” in a urine sample from the star winger.

“Chelsea Football Club can confirm that the Football Association recently contacted our player Mykhailo Mudryk regarding a negative result from a routine urine test,” the club said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Both the club and Mykhailo fully support the FA’s testing program and all of our players, including Mykhailo, are tested regularly.

“Mykhailo has categorically confirmed that he has never knowingly consumed banned substances. Both Mykhailo and the club will now work with the relevant authorities to find out what led to the negative result.”

Mudryk made a statement via his Instagram account.

“I can confirm that I was informed that a sample I provided to the FA contained a banned substance,” it said.

“This came as a complete shock as I have never knowingly used banned substances or broken any rules and am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened.

“I know I didn’t do anything wrong and I hope I can be back on the pitch soon. Due to the confidential nature of the proceedings, I cannot say anything more now, but I will do so as soon as possible.”

Athletes are being warned on the United Kingdom Anti-Doping website (UKAD) that they could face a four-year ban if they are found to have intentionally taken a banned substance.

If the violations involve a specific substance or a contaminated product and the athlete can prove that he or she was not found to be at fault, the suspension can range from two years to a reprimand, depending on the severity of the fault.

Mudryk made 15 appearances for Chelsea this season and last played on November 28 in a 2-0 win at German club Heidenheim in the Conference League, in which he scored his third goal of the season.

He moved to Chelsea from Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 for a reported £88.5 million ($112 million).