Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk could face a suspension of up to four years after being formally charged by the Football Association with an anti-doping charge.
The 24-year-old Ukraine international was provisionally suspended in December after testing positive for meldonium, a banned performance-enhancing substance. The FA confirmed on Wednesday that Mudryk now faces formal disciplinary proceedings under its Anti-Doping Regulations.
In a statement, the FA said:
“We can confirm that Mykhailo Mudryk has been charged with Anti-Doping Rule Violations alleging the presence and/or use of a prohibited substance, in terms of Regulations 3 and 4 of The FA’s Anti-Doping Regulations. As this is an ongoing case, we are not in a position to comment further at this time.”
Meldonium, a drug commonly used to improve endurance and recovery, has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) banned list since 2016. Mudryk’s initial test returned a positive result late last year, and the FA had been awaiting confirmation via the ‘B’ sample before proceeding.
Chelsea have declined to comment on the matter following the FA’s charge. Mudryk, who joined the club from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023, has maintained his innocence throughout the process.
Shortly after his provisional suspension was made public, Mudryk released a statement via Instagram, saying:
“This has come as a complete shock as I have never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules. I 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.”
Sources close to the situation suggest that the substance may have entered Mudryk’s system while he was outside of the UK, possibly prior to his move to the Premier League.
Under WADA and FA guidelines, a four-year ban is the maximum penalty for a first-time doping offence involving non-specified substances such as meldonium. However, mitigating circumstances – such as proving unintentional ingestion – can significantly reduce the sanction.
Mudryk’s case will now proceed through the FA’s disciplinary framework, with further hearings and decisions expected in the coming weeks.
