Chelsea’s Mudryk denies wrongdoing in failed drug test

Wolves pick Pereira as new boss
Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk says he is in “complete shock” after testing positive for a banned substance, reports BBC.

The club confirmed yesterday that they had been contacted by the Football Association (FA) after an “adverse finding in a routine urine test” provided by the Ukraine international.
Mudryk denies ever knowingly using a banned substance and Chelsea say they will work to establish what caused the failed test.

“This has come as a complete shock as I have never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules, and am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened,” Mudryk wrote on Instagram.

“I know that I have not done anything wrong and remain hopeful that I will be back on the pitch soon.”

Under FA guidelines, players can be provisionally suspended from football following a positive drugs test.

However, when contacted by BBC Sport, the FA refused to confirm whether Mudryk, 23, was now provisionally suspended or when the test took place.

Players found to have intentionally taken a banned substance can be banned for up to four years under Fifa guidelines.

Mudryk last played for Chelsea on November 28 and has missed the past five matches in all competitions.

He was included in the matchday squad for the Blues’ win against Aston Villa on December 1, but did not feature.

Head coach Enzo Maresca had said publicly that Mudryk’s absence was because of illness.
Mudryk, who signed from Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk in a deal worth up to £89m in 2023, has scored 10 goals in 73 appearances for Chelsea.

Meanwhile, relegation threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers have agreed a deal for Vitor Pereira to become their new manager following the sacking of Gary O’Neil, according to reports.

The BBC said the struggling Premier League club would pay around one million euros ($1 million) to bring the boss of Saudi Pro League club Al-Shabab to the English top flight.
According to Sky, personal terms have been agreed and the 56-year-old is expected to sign a one-and-a-half year contract.

The widely travelled coach was close to replacing Rafael Benitez as Everton manager in 2022.
Wolves travel to face fellow-strugglers Leicester on Sunday — five points ahead of them in the table.