Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk (24) will make an appearance in the UEFA Europa Conference League final. He is currently under suspension due to allegations of banned substance use.
'The Athletic' reported on the 28th (Korean time) that "Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk is expected to watch the UEFA Europa Conference League final (Chelsea vs. Real Betis) on-site on the 29th in Wrocław, Poland."
Mudryk, a member of the Ukrainian national team, received a provisional suspension from the Football Association (FA) in December last year due to a positive reaction for meldonium. Since then, he has not appeared in Chelsea matches. His last appearance was in an away match against Heidenheim in the Conference League on Nov. 28, 2024, where he contributed to the team's 2-0 victory by scoring a goal.
Chelsea has been allocated 50 medals to be given to participants in this final by UEFA, and Mudryk is reported to be included among them.
Chelsea stated in an official announcement on Dec. 17 last year, "We have received notification from the FA that Mudryk showed an abnormal reaction in a routine urine test. Chelsea and Mudryk fully support the FA's testing program, and the players are regularly tested."
It was further explained, "Mudryk has clearly stated that he never intentionally took banned substances. Currently, the club and the player are cooperating with the relevant authorities to clarify how this result occurred."
Mudryk also stated through his personal social media, "This result is shocking to me as well. I have never intentionally used banned substances or violated any regulations. My team and I are currently investigating how this result came about, and I hope to return to the pitch soon."
Mudryk joined Chelsea in January 2023 after leaving Shakhtar Donetsk. The transfer fee is a fixed €70 million (approximately 111.3 billion won), with an additional bonus of €30 million (approximately 43.4 billion won), and the contract runs until 2031. To date, he has played 73 matches for Chelsea, recording 10 goals and 11 assists.
Whether the 'B sample' result is positive has not been disclosed yet. If it is confirmed that he violated the FA's anti-doping regulations, he could face a suspension of up to four years, though this could be reduced to a minimum of one month if mitigating factors are recognized.
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