Mykhaylo Mudryk is reportedly still adamant that he has done nothing wrong after being charged with doping offences by the Football Association (FA). The news was revealed on Wednesday, with the Chelsea winger facing the prospect of being banned for up to four years. It comes after he submitted a positive doping sample in a routine urine test towards the end of last year.
At the time, Mudryk insisted that he had not knowingly broken any rules or ingested any banned substances. He also said that he was working closely with his team to establish how it could have happened. The former Shakhtar Donetsk man added that he was hoping to return to the pitch sooner rather than later, but has not played for Chelsea since late November.
Shortly after the news of his positive test was confirmed in December, Mudryk said in a statement: “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.”
Mudryk is yet to comment on his FA charge but his position has not changed since releasing that statement in December, according to The Telegraph.
Chelsea are said to be offering support to Mudryk, who has reportedly hired Morgan Sports Law to work on his case. They are the same firm that represented Paul Pogba when his four-year doping ban was successfully reduced to 18 months.
At the time of Mudryk’s positive test in December, Chelsea issued a statement which read: “Both the club and Mykhailo fully support the FA’s testing programme and all our players, including Mykhailo, are regularly tested.
“Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances. Both Mykhailo and the Club will now work with the relevant authorities to establish what has caused the adverse finding.”
Under current FIFA rules, players who are found to have intentionally taken a prohibited substance can be banned for up to four years. Mudryk has already been provisionally suspended for six months following his initial positive doping test.
Chelsea signed the winger from Shakhtar Donetsk two years ago in a deal worth up to £89million. He remains tied down at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2031, having signed an eight-year contract upon his arrival.