Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk releases official statement after being provisionally suspended for allegedly using banned substance

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has released a statement addressing his provisional suspension from the sport after he allegedly tested positive for a banned substance. The Ukrainian international expressed shock at the news and insisted that he has never knowingly taken a banned substance.

Mykhailo Mudryk has missed Chelsea’s last five matches across competitions, having last played in a UEFA Conference League game against Heidenheim on November 28.

The 23-year-old was, however, recently probed by the FA after he was suspected of taking banned substances. Mudryk reportedly provided an ‘A’ sample for the test and tested positive. He is awaiting the result of a ‘B’ sample and risks a lengthy ban if it is returned positive.

Following FA’s verdict upon the result of the test, Mudryk took to his Instagram account to release a statement on the issue. He wrote:

“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."

The Football Association (FA) is conducting further investigations into the matter, and Mudryk’s suspension will remain in place until the conclusion of the inquiry.

As per the Daily Mail, Mykhailo Mudryk underwent a test conducted earlier this season. If found guilty of intentionally using banned substances, Mudryk could face severe consequences, including up to a four-year ban from professional football.

Mudryk joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023 for a reported fee of €70 million. He has scored 10 goals and provided nine assists for the Blues in 73 appearances across competitions.

What Chelsea said about Mykhailo Mudryk’s suspension

In the aftermath of Mykhailo Mudryk’s suspension by the Football Association after he tested positive for a banned substance, Chelsea released a statement on their website saying they are aware of the player’s current situation.

The statement 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. The Club will not be commenting any further."

This season, Mudryk has scored three goals and provided five assists in 15 appearances across competitions.