Yahoo Sports FA contact Chelsea after Mykhailo Mudryk fails drug test
Chelsea have confirmed that the Football Association recently contacted winger Mykhailo Mudryk concerning “an adverse finding” in a routine urine test.
The 23-year-old has been handed a provisional suspension from football following his failed test. He has not featured for the Blues since 28 November, missing the club’s past five matches.
The Times report that Mudryk is “citing contamination and denies deliberately taking a banned substance”. The Ukraine winger had a test in August that was clear, but a subsequent test was flagged for containing a banned substance. Reports in Ukraine claim that the substance is meldonium, which was banned in 2016. The result of his B sample is still pending.
“I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to the FA contained a banned substance,” the former Shakhtar Donetsk player wrote in a statement posted on Instagram.
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“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 Premier League club say that Mudryk has “never knowingly used any banned substances” and are now working with the authorities to “establish what has caused the adverse finding”.
The statement reads: “Chelsea Football Club can confirm that the Football Association recently contacted our player Mykhailo Mudryk concerning an adverse finding in a routine urine test.
“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.”
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