According to two reports in Ukrainian media, each with its claimed own sources, Mykhailo Mudryk has failed a doping test. He is currently awaiting the results of the B-sample, which will either confirm or negate the positive test from the A-sample collected in “late October”. There’s no word on what the banned substance may be, nor whether this was a Premier League or a UEFA test. (For what it’s worth, UEFA seem to be slightly more observant to these things than the league.)
Mudryk hasn’t played since Heidenheim away on November 28 (when he scored a great goal!) and has not been included in a matchday squad since the Aston Villa game on December 1. The official-ish reason has been that he’s been ill (and not in the Beastie Boys way), though he’s been an afterthought in most injury reports and updates from the club. He’s not exactly high up on the pecking order; but if these reports are true, then it makes sense that we don’t want to talk about it at all.
Obviously, this could all be just fake news.
Or it could be real news.
If true, Mudryk could face severe repercussions, including a multi-year ban from football altogether. (Paul Pogba’s currently serving four years, reduced to 18 months on appeal, for example, after testing positive in Italy for DHEA.)
If untrue, I suppose we just lose more faith in media. It’s a massive claim — not just some transfer speculation.
We’ll see what develops in the next few hours, days, weeks.
BREAKING ‼️@tribunaua reporting that as per their sources - Mykhaylo Mudryk has tested positive in a doping test…
In the "A" sample, a banned substance was found. That test was taken at the end of October.
The "B" sample is also expected to be opened in the coming days pic.twitter.com/OVRwXEnYXM
— Zorya Londonsk (@ZoryaLondonsk) December 16, 2024