Chelsea confirmed its full support for its Ukrainian player Mykhailo Mudryk, after the English Football Association announced the conclusion of the anti-doping case procedures and allowed him to return to competition immediately.
Mykhailo Mudryk
Club: Chelsea
Mudryk was suspended for 4 years after testing positive for doping and banned substances, before filing an appeal against the ruling.
The club stated in an official statement that the past period was one of the most difficult in the player's career, both professionally and personally, stressing that it stood by him throughout the stages of the case, with full respect for anti-doping procedures and the legal process.
Chelsea pointed out that the amendments made by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to the scientific standards for sample analysis mean that Mudryk's sample, if tested according to the current regulations, would not have been considered positive and would not have resulted in any violation of anti-doping rules.
The statement added that Mudryk affirmed throughout the investigation that he did not intentionally or knowingly take any banned substance, and that he does not know how traces of that substance entered his body, noting that the player handled the crisis with professionalism and resilience despite its difficulty.
The club concluded its statement by affirming that its focus is currently on reintegrating Mudryk into the team, helping him regain his physical fitness and return to the pitch, while renewing its full commitment to the highest standards of sporting integrity and compliance with anti-doping regulations.
Mudryk joined Chelsea in January 2023 for 70 million euros.
After Mudryk's positive sample, the player issued a statement, which read as follows:
I was notified that the sample I provided to the English Football Association contains a banned substance.
This came as a huge shock because I have never intentionally used any banned substances or broken the rules.
I am working closely with my team to investigate how this happened.
I know I did nothing wrong and remain optimistic that I will return to the pitch soon.
Mudryk is represented by Morgan Sports Law, the firm that worked with Paul Pogba during his doping case while playing for Juventus.