(Xports News Reporter Kwon Dong-hwan) Attention is focused on the level of punishment Chelsea winger Mihailo Mudrik will receive if he is confirmed to have taken banned substances.
Global media outlet ‘The Athletic’ reported on the 18th (Korean time), “What kind of meldonium did Mihailo Mudrik take, and what kind of punishment can he face?”
Previously, sports media ‘Tribuna’ said on the 17th, “Mudriq tested positive in a doping test. Prohibited substances were found in Mudrik’s sample A. This sample was collected at the end of October,” and “Sample B. It will be confirmed soon, and Mudrik may be suspended from competition for a certain period of time,” an exclusive report said.
Mudrik, who was found to have a banned substance in Sample A, is expected to be unable to avoid a long-term suspension if Sample B also tests positive.
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After news broke that Mudrik had taken banned substances, the English Football Association (FA) took action immediately. Britain’s Daily Mail said, “Mudryk has been temporarily suspended by the FA due to a positive drug test.”
Over time, it was revealed that the substance detected in Mudrik’s doping test was meldonium.
The media said, “Meldonium is a heart disease treatment developed in the former Soviet Union in 1970, and improves the exercise capacity of athletes by promoting metabolism and increasing blood flow.” This drug has been approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency since January 2016. “It has been added to (WADA)’s list of banned substances,” he explained.
In 2016, world-class tennis star Maria Sharapova of Russia was also humiliated when she was suspended for taking this drug.
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The media also said, “Former Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova was the most famous example of a player being suspended for using meldonium. At the Australian Open in January 2016, the International Tennis Federation admitted that Sharapova had made a big mistake in taking the drug and suspended her for two years. “I have been banned from participating,” he said.
Afterwards, Sharapova appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and the appeal was successful, reducing the disciplinary period to 15 months.
At the time, Sharapova explained that she had been prescribed meldonium by her doctor for 10 years and was unaware that it had been added to the list of banned substances. CAS also determined that she did not intentionally take drugs and relaxed the disciplinary period.
In Sharapova’s case, there was no significant difference between the time it was designated as a banned substance and the time the competition was held, so there were factors worth considering.
Strict punishment is expected for Mudrik. It is expected that the process of proving that there was no intention will be difficult because the drug was taken more than 8 years after it was banned.
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After the news of his positive doping test broke, Mudrik immediately complained of injustice. He explained through his social networking service (SNS), “I confirmed that I was notified that the sample I provided to the FA contained prohibited substances.”
“I am completely shocked as I have never knowingly used a banned substance or broken any rules, and I am working closely with my team to investigate how this happened,” he said.
“I know I have done nothing wrong and I hope to be able to return to the pitch soon,” he said. “I cannot say more at the moment due to the confidentiality of the proceedings, but I will tell you as soon as I can.”
Chelsea also said on the club’s website, “We can confirm that the Football Association recently contacted Myhajlo Mudrik after discovering a negative result from a routine urine test. Mudrik is adamant that he has never knowingly used banned substances.” I trusted Riku’s claim for now.
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Mudrik, a Ukrainian winger born in 2001, was acquired by Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in January last year for a whopping 100 million euros (about 151 billion won). At the time, Mudrik signed a seven-year long-term contract with Chelsea, and extended the contract until 2031 by activating a one-year extension option during last season.
Despite being brought in for a large transfer fee, Mudrik has not been able to live up to his price, scoring only 10 goals and 9 assists in 73 games for Chelsea.
This season, he has been pushed out of competition for the starting position and is playing only 146 minutes in 7 Premier League games. If Mudrik, who was brought in for a large sum of money, ends up being severely punished for using banned substances, it is highly likely that he will be the worst signing in Chelsea’s history.
Regarding Mudrik’s future, ‘The Athletic’ said, “If Sample B also tests positive, there could be serious consequences for Mudrik,” adding, “Doping bans are generally applied for between 2 and 4 years, and disciplinary action can be made through appeal. “The period can be shortened,” he explained.
Photo = Yonhap News
Reporter Kwon Dong-hwan kkddhh95@xportsnews.com
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