'100 million euro man' Mykhailo Mudryk (23, Chelsea) is he able to shake off the doping allegations? For now, his innocence has been proven by a lie detector.

The British outlet Give Me Sport reported on the 23rd (Korea time) that 'Sergei Palkin, CEO of Shakhtar Donetsk, stated that Mudryk passed the lie detector test regarding the banned substance detected last November.'

The media noted that 'Mudryk currently has a positive result for meldonium in Sample A, which has led to a provisional suspension from the Football Association (FA). He denies having intentionally taken banned substances, but athletes bear strict responsibility for everything they consume unless they can prove interference or flaws in testing protocols.'

As a result, Mudryk has been out of sight for months after issues arose in the doping sample. He is also said to have not been seen at Chelsea's training ground. According to Give Me Sport, if Mudryk is convicted, he could face a suspension of up to four years.

Mudryk's doping case was revealed last December. At that time, Chelsea confirmed in a statement that 'the FA found anomalies during a routine urine test and contacted Mudryk. The club and Mudryk fully support the FA's drug testing program, and other players are also subject to regular tests.'

However, Mudryk has strongly denied the allegations. Chelsea stated that 'Mudryk has firmly confirmed that he has never intentionally used banned substances. Now, he and the club will cooperate with the relevant authorities to identify the cause of the anomalies. No further comments will be made.'

It is known that meldonium was detected in Sample A submitted by Mudryk at the end of October last year. Meldonium is a drug developed in Eastern Europe that is known to enhance physical performance, and some athletes have taken it, but it has been banned since 2016. There is also a case where Russian tennis queen Maria Sharapova tested positive for meldonium in 2016 and received a suspension.

'The Athletic' explained that 'meldonium is a drug known as a metabolism regulator. Medically, it is used to treat insufficient blood flow to the heart. It can help enhance endurance and athletic performance for athletes.'

Mudryk is in a situation where he has to wait for a negative result in Sample B. CEO Palkin stated that Mudryk feels wronged. He said, 'I have talked to Mudryk multiple times since the doping issue arose. He does not understand how this happened. He has no idea. He is completely lost.'

CEO Palkin also emphasized that 'Mudryk has passed the lie detector test. This will serve as evidence that he did not intentionally commit an offense. The positive test result is not his fault. Now, we need to find out how this happened and who was responsible. His lawyers are working on this.'

He also expressed his affection for Mudryk. He stated, 'The result of Sample B has not yet come out, so we cannot know yet. No one knows what happened. I wish Mudryk good luck. He is a top professional athlete and a very good person. He deserves protection.'

Whether Mudryk is innocent is also important for Shakhtar. Shakhtar would miss out on a bonus of 30 million euros (about 48.7 billion won) if he receives a four-year suspension and is expelled from Chelsea. CEO Palkin remarked, 'Mudryk's transfer bonus from Chelsea is related to his performance. If he cannot play, a loss of 30 million euros could occur. Shakhtar, Chelsea, and Mudryk are in the same boat. We all support him and hope he can continue playing football soon.'

Chelsea is also anxious. Mudryk was once a talent that drew attention across Europe beyond Ukraine. He received high praise for his impressive performances during his time at Shakhtar and joined Chelsea in the winter transfer window of January 2023. At that time, Chelsea invested a staggering transfer fee of 100 million euros (about 161.3 billion won) to win the race against Arsenal.

However, Mudryk in a Chelsea uniform has been different. He has disappointed fans with inaccurate finishing and poor performance. His statistics after the first season's second half were only 2 assists in 15 matches. It was revealed that Frank Lampard, who was the interim manager at Chelsea at that time, criticized him by saying, 'Mudryk does not understand football.'

This season has not changed much either. Newly appointed manager Enzo Maresca also pointed out that Mudryk is slow to understand tactical instructions. His league statistics stand at 0 goals and 0 assists in 7 matches. He started only once. However, he did show potential in the UEFA Europa Conference League, scoring 3 goals and assisting 3 times.

However, everything is halted due to the positive test for banned substances. If Mudryk receives a harsh penalty, Chelsea may opt for mutual termination. The problem is that Mudryk has 6 years left on his contract. Chelsea signed a contract with Mudryk for up to 8 and a half years. Chelsea, which is paying him a weekly wage of 97,000 pounds (about 184 million won), can only sigh.

[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (reproduction and redistribution prohibited), 4 Football, Give Me Sport, Tribuna.

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