In an attempt to clear his name of a doping ban he received while playing for Ukraine on international duty in November, Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk has passed a polygraph, according to Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin.
The FA has placed the winger on temporary suspension following an A-sample that tested positive for meldonium. He denies intentionally using a prohibited substance, but athletes are held accountable for anything they consume unless they can demonstrate sabotage or a testing procedure error. If found guilty, Mudryk could be banned for up to four years.
Mudryk scored 12 goals in 44 games for Shakhtar between 2018 and 2023 before moving to Chelsea in January 2023 for €70 million and an additional €30 million in add-ons. In the event that Mudryk does not return to Chelsea, Shakhtar may forfeit those bonuses.
Palkin told GIVEMESPORT exclusively, “Since this doping issue arose, I have spoken to Mudryk numerous times.” “He finds it hard to comprehend how that could have occurred. He doesn’t know. I have no idea.
His solicitors arranged for him to take a lie detector test, which he successfully completed. It will be one of the pieces of proof proving he didn’t do anything improper on purpose.
“Mudryk has stated unequivocally that his positive test result is not his fault. We must now investigate how and by whom this occurred. His solicitors are attempting to learn more.
“That is still open because the B-sample has not produced any results. No one is aware of what has occurred. My best wishes are with Mudryk. He is an excellent professional and a kind person. He needs to be kept safe.
“Shakhtar has a stake as well. Bonuses from his transfer to Chelsea are contingent on his performance. We could lose €30 million if he doesn’t play, which would be problematic for us. Chelsea, Mudryk, and Shakhtar are all on the same boat. We all back Mudryk and hope that he will soon be permitted to play football again.
The money from the Mudryk Deal that was donated during the war also allowed Shakhtar to stay out of trouble.
During Chelsea’s 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace in January 2023, Palkin and Shakhtar sporting director Darijo Srna were also in west London as Mudryk was paraded at Stamford Bridge while wearing a Ukrainian flag. Ukraine as a whole celebrated the high-profile signing and its symbolic reveal.
Since Rinat Akhmetov, the owner of Shakhtar, gave a significant amount of the money to humanitarian organisations, Mudryk’s action immediately helped thousands of Ukrainians who had been harmed by the war with Russia.
“Rinat Akhmetov gave €25m from the Mudryk sale to support our defence against Russia and provide aid to Ukrainians,” said Palkin. “He adores both our nation and our club. Mr. Akhmetov has contributed more over €315 million since the start of the conflict in 2022, more than any other private Ukrainian company or individual. We are all a one family under Mr. Akhmetov’s leadership, and we will fight until the very end.”
To protect Shakhtar’s future, the remaining Mudryk price was also essential. The war has caused Shakhtar to experience financial difficulties. In order to comply with Financial Fair Play and ultimately prevent a suspension from European competition, they have been compelled to pay off approximately €40 million in debt. And all the while losing international players for free because FIFA banned coaching and player contracts in Ukraine in 2022 due to a “Annex 7” clause in their bylines.
“Selling Mudryk to Chelsea was a crucial deal for us,” Palkin stated. “Without the Mudryk fee, I don’t understand how we would have settled many, many, many issues.”
Solomon Among Names to Exit Without a Fee
Tottenham accused of acting ‘like a robber on the road’
Shakhtar stated in 2022 that they lost €40 million in transfer revenue as a result of Annex 7, a figure that Palkin says has since increased. Palkin accused Shakhtar of acting “like a robber on the road” after Israeli forward Manor Solomon left on a free transfer for Tottenham Hotspur four years after joining the team for €6 million in 2019. This was one of the most well-known departures. They tried to get Spurs to pay €6.5 million after club-to-club negotiations, but were unsuccessful.
Shakhtar sued FIFA for €50 million in damages through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) even before Solomon resigned, but the case was dropped in May 2023. Despite his unwavering belief that Shakhtar is correct, Palkin thinks it is difficult to compete against FIFA.
“In our case,” Palkin declared, “I am 100 percent sure.” “But opposing FIFA is challenging. You go to a FIFA court first, and since it’s a FIFA court, we naturally lose! After that, you go to CAS, where you lose since CAS receives almost 70% of its revenue from FIFA [via the FIFA-CAS Football Legal Aid Fund].
“We were unable to prevail. We are unable to sell players or even loan them out, and we have to pay off our debt or risk being eliminated from European competition. It’s absurd. Furthermore, FIFA ignores the fact that we are engaged in a conflict. We are one football family, according to all of their slogans, but that message vanishes when discussing Ukraine. We don’t seem to be a part of the football family.
“Ukraine was invaded by Russia. Russia seeks to murder our citizens. This should be seen in black and white by FIFA. It’s odd that conflict has ruined Ukraine’s sports infrastructure and that there has been virtually no assistance in rebuilding it. I’m not sure if this is due to politics or something else.
“‘How can we aid Ukraine?’ should be the question that all football organisations ask. However, Gianni Infantino declared on stage at the most recent UEFA Congress that he wanted Russian teams to resume playing in European tournaments. [Sarcastically] I sincerely appreciate your assistance.
“FIFA doesn’t care about supporting Ukrainian football since, in my opinion, money is what matters most to them. Additionally, Ukrainian football does not generate revenue for them. FIFA ought to assist and take notice of us even though we don’t play in one of the top five or ten leagues in the world.
FIFA sources declined to comment on Palkin’s remarks and made it plain that no official talks had begun to reinstate Russian teams. Palkin keeps up good links with the European Club Association and UEFA.
Sudakov Could Be the Next Big-Name Shakhtar Sell Brentford and Napoli are showing interest in the Ukraine international.
Since Shakhtar is still dependent on sales going into this summer, it might be crucial for them to eventually acquire the Mudryk add-ons. With a young and reconstructed team, the 15-time Ukrainian champions are presently going through a transitional season. Despite being in third place in the Ukrainian Premier League, they are unable to overtake Dynamo Kyiv, the current leaders. Shakhtar may still defeat Polissya Zhytomyr on Wednesday in the Ukrainian Cup semi-final and take home a trophy.
Giorgi Sudakov, a 22-year-old midfielder with 13 goals and six assists this season, is Shakhtar’s most valuable asset. Brentford has talked about the Ukraine international, who is attracting interest from Napoli. Palkin is already negotiating a high-profile sale to raise much-needed money.
Palkin declared, “We are now in negotiations.” “I think we will finish this sale on good financial terms, but I can’t say how much. There will be another club if we can’t come to an arrangement with this one. Making a deal for Sudakov is not a concern of mine. In his field, he is among the greatest in the world.
“He can relocate to England or Italy. We’re in touch. He is of importance to us. The same applied to Mykhailo Mudryk. He will be sold ‘tomorrow’ if he isn’t sold ‘today’. It will just take time.
In January 2024, Napoli’s initial offer of €40 million for Sudakov was turned down. GMS is aware that Shakhtar does not regard Sudakov as highly as Mudryk does (€100 million), but they are thought to seek at least €60 million. Sudakov has a €150 million release clause in his contract, which runs until December 2028.
All data is accurate as of April 22, 2025, and is provided by Sofascore.
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