Mudryk Embarks on Olympic Sprint Bid amid Football Ban

Lead: Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has started training with Ukraine’s national sprint squad as he pursues qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics following a provisional four-year football ban, the club confirmed today in London.

Nut Graf: Suspended in December 2024 after testing positive for meldonium, Mudryk faces an FA doping case that could sideline him until 2028. With his football career on hold, the 24-year-old Ukrainian is channeling his renowned pace into athletics, aiming to meet World Athletics’ Olympic qualifying standards.

Career Pivot and Training Regime

  • Mudryk joined Ukraine’s sprint team this week under former Olympians’ guidance.
  • He recorded a peak speed of 36.67 km/h on his Chelsea debut, a metric that bolsters his sprinting credentials.
  • Training sessions focus on explosiveness, start technique and 100 m time improvements.

Doping Suspension and Cross-Sport Implications

The Football Association provisionally suspended Mudryk after a routine urine test revealed meldonium. Should his “B” sample confirm the result, he faces up to a four-year ban, which-under WADA rules-extends across all sports, potentially barring him from Olympic participation without a successful appeal.

Olympic Qualification Challenges

To secure a spot in Los Angeles, Mudryk must:

  • Achieve the 100 m qualifying time (10.00 s) set by World Athletics.
  • Place among the top two Ukrainian sprinters at national trials.
  • Overcome any cross-sport enforcement if his football suspension is upheld.

Support and Next Steps

  • Shakhtar Donetsk director Dario Srna has publicly backed Mudryk’s innocence, emphasizing personal character over financial stakes.
  • Mudryk’s legal team is preparing to contest the doping charge ahead of a scheduled FA hearing.
  • Chelsea will monitor his athletics progress while maintaining fitness programs until the FA’s decision.

Mudryk’s shift from pitch to track underscores the wider impact of doping sanctions and illustrates an athlete’s resilience when faced with career-threatening adversity.