Chelsea and Ukraine international Mykhailo Mudryk has been charged by the English Football Association with doping offences and faces a lengthy ban.
Under FA rules, Mudryk could be suspended for as long as four years after providing a positive ‘A’ sample – believed to contain the prohibited performance-enhancing substance meldonium – last year.
The winger was provisionally suspended while he and Chelsea waited for the results of a B sample, and the FA have now confirmed that he has been charged.
“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,” an FA spokesperson told Telegraph Sport.
“As this is an ongoing case, we are not in a position to comment further at this time.”
Mudryk hired Morgan Sports Law to work on his case, with Chelsea also providing support.
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The firm also represented former Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba in his appeal against a four-year doping ban which the Court of Arbitration for Sport later reduced to 18 months.
Pogba terminated his contract at Juventus and is looking for a new club after his 18-month ban ended in March.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner jas been linked with a move to Ligue 1 giants AS Monaco.
Mudryk denied knowingly breaking any rules. It was claimed that the Ukraine international tested negatively in August last year and insisted he had not changed any of his behaviour since then.
In a statement posted on Instagram in December last year, Mudryk said: “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.”
On 15 January 2023, Mudryk signed for Chelsea on an eight-and-a-half-year contract for an initial transfer fee of £62 million, potentially rising to £89 million in add-ons.
This was the largest transfer fee received by Shakhtar and the Ukrainian Premier League, topping the previous record held by Fred, and made him the most expensive Ukrainian footballer.
