Mykhaylo Mudryk’s morale is diminished amid his ongoing suspension, as he awaits a verdict following a positive test for the banned substance meldonium, according to Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin. The Chelsea winger hasn’t featured for the Blues since December 2024 and was charged by the Football Association with anti-doping violations.

Mudryk could face a suspension of up to four years, though any penalty has yet to be confirmed, with the World Anti-Doping Agency announcing in November that they were still awaiting disciplinary proceedings from the FA. Palkin, who watched Mudryk develop through Shakhtar’s academy and complete an £88.5million move to Chelsea, is convinced the Ukraine international’s legal team will discover a resolution to ensure the 25-year-old can return to the pitch at the earliest opportunity.

The executive continues to meet with Mudryk to provide his support.

“For me, what has happened is a pity because I’d never seen a player like Mudryk,” Palkin said. “I remember him from our academy.

“He was a hard worker, he was a tough guy and he trained much, much more than other players. He stayed after training.

“For me, it’s a big pity what has happened because this guy did everything in his life to stay on the top level. It’s not fair what’s happened to him now, and I believe that his lawyers will find solutions and he will return to football as soon as possible.

“From time to time I come to London and I meet with him, and I support him because for me, it’s very important that he feels that he has people behind him, who support him.”

In recent weeks, Mudryk has appeared to intensify his training regime in public. The winger has been posting individual training sessions on Instagram while working independently from Chelsea.

Mudryk enlisted a goalkeeper and a private coach to help him stay match-fit and rented the 3G pitch at Honeycroft, home to Uxbridge, a Southern League Premier Division South team. Palkin revealed that despite the player’s low spirits, he remains committed to maintaining his fitness levels daily.

“He is training, he’s training by himself because the FIFA rules say you cannot stay in the camp,” he said. “He dedicates almost the whole day to train and to keep himself in a good level, physically and mentally.

“The mood is not so good at this moment but he believes everything should be good and he will return to football as fast as possible.”