Mykhailo Mudryk has re-emerged for the first time in months with the banned Chelsea star sporting a fresh new look while working on a project away from football.
The 24-year-old – who joined in a £88m deal last in January 2023 – has not featured since a Europa Conference League match on November 28 last year.
It is understood that Mudryk has been unavailable for selection due to a suspected adverse analytical finding. Reports in Ukraine that the substance is meldonium are understood by Daily Mail Sport to be correct.
He has maintained a low profile since denying any wrongdoing in an official statement while also sporadically posting cryptic updates on social media.
And on Tuesday the Blues winger re-emerged on social media as it was revealed that he is working on a film project in his native Ukraine.
A photo shared on social media by Serhiy Palkin showed Mudryk alongside Croatian football manager Igor Jovicevic and a number of film makers.
Mykhailo Mudryk has re-emerged in a rare appearance to work on a new film project
The Chelsea star has not featured since November last year after an suspected adverse drug finding
It has been reported that Mudryk is contributing to the film which covers Shakhtar Donetsk and the war in Ukraine.
When Mudryk last featured for Chelsea he sported a buzz cut look, but has since taken on a more measured hairstyle, with a traditional short back and sides.
Mudryk is still waiting on the result of a ‘B’ sample and whether or not it confirms the findings of his ‘A’ sample is yet to be seen.
If found to have committed an offence, then punishments for a positive drugs test could lead to a long-term ban as was the case with Paul Pogba when the former Man United star was initially banned from football for four years before an appeal led to it being reduced to 18 months.
On Monday, the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Witold Banka, provided an update on the organisation’s stance on Mudryk’s case.
‘First of all, we are waiting for a disciplinary decision in his case (from the Football Association of England). As of today, we do not know when it will come.
‘Then, according to the anti-doping code, we will request the player’s documentation and will decide whether we agree with this disciplinary decision.
‘We can appeal in two cases: if we consider the decision too harsh or too lenient,’ Banka has said.
WADA president Witold Banka provided an update on Mudryk’s case on Monday
The Ukrainian has gone under the radar but was part of Chelsea’s Conference League party
There is currently no clarity on when Mudryk’s case will be concluded.
In a message to his followers on Instagram after his provisional ban, Mudryk posted: ‘I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to The FA contained a banned substance.
‘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.
‘I know that I have not done anything wrong and remain hopeful that I will be back on the pitch soon. I cannot say any more now due to the confidentiality of the process, but I will as soon as I can.’
