Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has expressed the club’s confidence that Mykhailo Mudryk did not intentionally use a banned substance, which led to his failed drug test.
The 23-year-old Ukrainian international has been provisionally suspended by the Football Association (FA) after a routine urine test showed an “adverse finding.” During this suspension, Mudryk is not permitted to play or train with the team, but he denies knowingly using any banned substance.
Maresca has voiced his belief that Mudryk will soon be cleared of any wrongdoing. “We support Mykhailo, and trusting him means we believe in him,” Maresca said. “The club, coaching staff, and everyone involved with the training facility support and trust Mykhailo. I am confident he will return, though we don’t know when.”
Maresca has also spoken to Mudryk following the announcement of the suspension, and the Professional Footballers’ Association is expected to offer its support. “Every player facing this situation needs support, just as anyone in a similar position would,” Maresca commented. “It’s not about his age or nationality.”
Mudryk, who joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk for up to £89 million in 2023, has scored 10 goals in 73 appearances for the club. He has been absent from Chelsea’s last five matches, with Maresca attributing his absence to illness. Under FIFA guidelines, players found guilty of intentionally taking banned substances can face up to a four-year suspension.
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