Chelsea teammates’ notable response to Mykhailo Mudryk’s absence following a positive drug test

Mykhailo Mudryk’s Chelsea teammates were reportedly confused by his absence from training, having been kept in the dark about his positive drugs test.

It was revealed on Tuesday that the 23-year-old had been provisionally suspended after testing positive for meldonium during a urine test. If his B sample also returns positive, he could face a four-year ban from football. Mudryk has denied knowingly taking any banned substances and was reportedly shocked when contacted by the Football Association (FA).

According to Mirror Football, the incident occurred while Mudryk was on international duty with Ukraine in November, and Chelsea sources maintain it did not happen under their watch. The Premier League club released a statement on Tuesday to address the situation and clarify the confusion within their squad.

Mudryk, who last featured in Chelsea’s 2-0 Europa Conference League win over Heidenheim on November 28, has been absent from training in recent weeks. Initially, his absence was attributed to illness, but reports from The Telegraph suggest his teammates were unaware of the true reason and were asking among themselves, “Do you know what’s happened to Misha?”

Chelsea’s statement confirmed that Mudryk was informed of the adverse finding and reiterated both the club’s and player’s support for the FA’s testing program. Mudryk also expressed his shock at the situation, maintaining that he has never knowingly used banned substances and is working to determine the cause of the positive test.

Since joining Chelsea for up to £88.5 million in January 2023, Mudryk has struggled to find consistent form, with 10 goals and nine assists in 73 appearances. The Ukrainian winger remains under contract with the club until J

une 2031.