Sports Correspondent

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been handed a provisional suspension by the English Football Association after a routine urine test revealed the presence of a banned substance. The 23-year-old Ukrainian international maintains he has “never knowingly used any banned substances” and is cooperating fully with the investigation.

According to Chelsea’s statement, the Football Association contacted Mudryk regarding the adverse finding, and both the club and player support the FA’s testing program.

Mudryk has been absent from Chelsea’s squad for the last four games, with his last inclusion being as an unused substitute against Aston Villa on December 1.

Mudryk took to social media to express his shock, stating, “This has come as a complete shock…

I have not done anything wrong and remain hopeful that I will be back on the pitch soon”. The Chelsea forward joined the club in January 2023 from Shakhtar Donetsk in a deal worth up to $112 million .

The investigation is ongoing, with Mudryk and Chelsea working to establish the cause of the adverse finding. The club has declined further comment on the matter .