Mykhailo Mudryk, the 24-year-old winger for Chelsea Football Club, has been officially charged by England’s Football Association (FA) over an anti-doping rule violation.
The Ukrainian footballer, who joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023, could be facing a ban of up to four years if found guilty.
The issue started in December 2024 when Mudryk was provisionally suspended after a urine test showed what the FA called an “adverse finding.”
The result came from a routine test conducted after Mudryk returned from playing for Ukraine in an international match in November. It was later reported that the test detected meldonium, a substance banned under performance-enhancing drug rules.
In response to the test result, Mudryk said he was in “complete shock” and added that he “never knowingly used any banned substances.”
The FA released a statement this week confirming that Mudryk had been formally charged.
It read: “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 three and four 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.”
Chelsea had already started its own investigation into the matter after the initial test result. The club was also waiting for the outcome of the second sample, known as the ‘B’ sample, to either support or contradict the findings of the first.
Since November 28, Mudryk has not played a match for Chelsea. He was last seen on the bench, as an unused substitute, during the team’s 3-0 victory over Aston Villa on December 1. Prior to that, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca had said Mudryk was “ill,” when asked about the winger’s absence over four matches.
Recently, further signs of Chelsea distancing themselves from the player have emerged. His number 10 shirt has already been handed to Cole Palmer for the upcoming season, leaving Mudryk without a squad number.
Mudryk’s time at Stamford Bridge has not gone as expected. Despite his early promise and a big transfer fee, his performances have been inconsistent. He has scored only 10 goals in 73 appearances for Chelsea and made just one Premier League start last season in a match against Wolves in August.
