Mykhailo Mudryk returns to training at a surprising club amid silence over his doping ban at Chelsea

Mykhailo Mudryk has returned to training at semi-professional club Uxbridge FC amid a continued silence over his doping ban at Chelsea.

The Ukrainian, who signed for the Blues in a deal worth £88million in January 2023, shared a video to his 1.8 million Instagram followers which showed him practising at the club’s Honeycroft ground.

Mudryk could be seen faking a shot beyond a yellow mannequin on the artificial surface, before bending a strike with his left foot which smashed off the post before going in.

It is unclear why he has chosen to train with the Southern League Premier South Division club, but they are around a 40-minute drive from where Mudryk lives in Fulham‘s luxury Imperial Wharf.

The 25-year-old has not featured for Chelsea since a Europa Conference League match in November 2024, after he returned a positive test for a banned substance – understood to be meldonium – in December that year.

Mudryk was charged by the Football Association (FA) last June and continues to deny any wrongdoing.

While he has largely maintained a low profile since the charge, he does post sporadic updates to his followers on social media.

Addressing his fans at New Year, the former Shahktar Donetsk winger urged them not to ‘give up’ on him.

‘Happy New year to all my fans,’ Mudryk wrote. ‘I just wanted to say thank you for your support.

‘I see all your messages and truly appreciate them, so please don’t give up on me as I do not give up on myself. Can’t wait to see you soon.’

Mudryk, who could face up to a four-year ban should the doping charge be proven, was also part of Chelsea’s Conference League title party last summer.  

At this stage there is currently no clarity on when his case will be concluded.

World Anti-Doping Agency president Witold Banka said in November: ‘First of all, we are waiting for a disciplinary decision in his case (from the English FA). 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.

The Ukrainian has gone under the radar but was part of Chelsea’s Conference League party

‘We can appeal in two cases: if we consider the decision too harsh or too lenient.’

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.’