Chelsea's new head coach, Enzo Maresca, has revealed that he has yet to speak with winger Mykhailo Mudryk following the recent announcement by the Football Association (FA) that the player has been charged with anti-doping rule violations. The 24-year-old Ukrainian international faces a potential ban of up to four years if found guilty.
Mudryk was provisionally suspended in December 2024 after a drug test revealed the presence of a prohibited substance. The substance in question is reportedly meldonium, which gained notoriety in the sports world following Maria Sharapova's case in tennis. The FA's statement confirmed the charges, alleging breaches of Regulations 3 and 4 of their anti-doping regulations.
Maresca, speaking from the Club World Cup in the United States, stated that the last time he spoke with Mudryk was in Poland, during the Conference League final. At that time, Maresca found Mudryk to be in good spirits. However, he admitted that he hasn't spoken with him since then and is unsure of Mudryk's current state of mind. He did add that he intends to contact Mudryk in the coming days or weeks.
Despite the charges, Maresca emphasized that he will continue to trust Mudryk, as he would with any Chelsea player until the situation dictates otherwise. He also indicated that he is not currently focused on seeking clarity from the FA regarding the potential ban, as his immediate concern is supporting the player.
Mudryk's legal representatives and Chelsea have previously issued statements regarding the matter. Mudryk, in December, expressed his shock and denied knowingly using any banned substances, vowing to investigate how this could have happened. Chelsea has stated they are aware of the FA's investigation and fully support their anti-doping program. The club also reiterated Mudryk's stance that he has never intentionally used any banned substances and is cooperating with the inquiry.
Sky Sports News reported that Mudryk believes his sample may have been contaminated, noting that his diet had not changed between an August 2024 drug test, which he passed, and the November test that led to his suspension. He is reportedly using the same legal firm that represented Paul Pogba in his anti-doping case.
Since his provisional suspension, Mudryk has been unable to train at Chelsea's Cobham training ground. He has instead been following an individual fitness program at home. Despite this, he attended the Conference League final in a personal capacity, although he was not part of the official Chelsea traveling party.
Mudryk's last appearance for Chelsea was in a 2-0 win against Heidenheim in the Conference League on November 28. Since joining Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 for a significant transfer fee, Mudryk has struggled to consistently meet expectations. This doping allegation adds another layer of complexity to his career.
Chelsea are reportedly in the market for a new winger during the summer transfer window. However, Maresca clarified that this pursuit is unrelated to Mudryk's situation, as the club had already planned for the possibility of being without him.
