Chelsea receive huge Mykhailo Mudryk doping ban update | OneFootball

Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin has confirmed Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is still waiting for the results of the investigation into his alleged breach of doping rules.

After a short, unexplained absence in December, it emerged the 24-year-old, an expensive arrival from Shakhtar in January 2023, had been hit with a global suspension after failing a drugs test during international duty with Ukraine.

A second sample, known as the 'B sample', has been tested and everybody involved has been awaiting the results ever since. Mudryk, for his part, has denied intentionally ingesting any banned substance.

The wait appears set to go on, with Palkin confirming Mudryk has spent his time building up a case to prove his innocence.

"I have spoken to Mudryk many times since this doping issue arose," Palkin told GIVEMESPORT. "He doesn't understand how it could have happened. He has no clue. No idea at all.

Mudryk has not played since November / Daniel Kopatsch/GettyImages

"So his lawyers organised for him to take a lie detector test, which he passed. It will form part of the evidence showing he didn't intentionally do anything wrong.

"Mudryk has been clear, it's not his fault that he tested positive. We now need to find out how this has happened, and who did this. His lawyers are trying to find out. There are still no results from the B-sample, so that remains open. Nobody knows what's happened. I wish Mudryk all the best. He's a top professional and a very good person. He should be protected.

"Shakhtar also has a vested interest. There are bonuses from his move to Chelsea linked to his performances. If he's not playing, it causes problems for us because we could potentially lose €30m (£25.8m). So Shakhtar, Chelsea and Mudryk, we are in one boat. We all support Mudryk, and hope he is allowed to continue playing football soon."

If Mudryk's B-sample comes back positive, he will still face punishment from FIFA even if he can prove he did not intentionally break the rules. Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana was hit with a 12-month ban in February 2021 after accidentally ingesting a banned substance, with a subsequent appeal later reducing the punishment to nine months.

More recently, Paul Pogba was handed the standard four-year ban after testing positive in 2023. That was later reduced to 18 months upon appeal.