Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has changed his Instagram profile picture and bio, removing any mention of the club in the process, following on from his official charge over doping offences.
football.london had reported last week that Mudryk was finally charged by the Football Association (FA) after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance.
The substance in question was revealed to be meldonium, with the 24-year-old now facing a ban of up to four years.
The exact length of any potential ban is yet to be determined, however, with the an FA spokesperson commenting: “We can confirm that Mykhailo Mudryk has been charged with Anti-Doping Rule Violations alleging the presence and/or use of a prohibited substance, in terms of Regulations 3 and 4 of The FA’s Anti-Doping Regulations. As this is an ongoing case, we are not in a position to comment further at this time.”
This followed a six-month spell in which the Ukrainian has been provisionally suspended, last playing for Chelsea on November 28, 2024.
Throughout Mudryk had not felt any need to make major changes to his Instagram profile, though has not posted since December 17, 2024. That fact has now changed, with the winger altering his profile drastically.
In place of his original profile picture of himself, there now sits an image of the English actor Christian Bale in his 2000 role of Patrick Bateman from the movie ‘American Psycho’, based on Bret Easton Ellis’s 1991 novel of the same name.
In the story, Bale’s lead character is a New York investment banker who leads a double life as a serial killer.
Mudryk’s Instagram bio now also reads: “Watch how they hate.”
All existing posts remain on the profile, as does the @mmudryk10 handle. The only fresh changes made appear to be the profile picture and bio.
Mudryk has maintained his innocence from the start of the process but has not spoken since the FA confirmed their latest decision.
The winger has not played since being suspended last December after testing positive for a prohibited substance.
He was last seen in public at the Europa Conference League final in Wroclaw last month having attended in a private capacity.
Mudryk is not allowed to train with the squad, who are currently at the Club World Cup in the United States.
Enzo Maresca did speak, however, to tell the press that he had not actually been in contact with the player after the FA charge came through. The manager is currently with his active squad in the United States, now preparing for the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16.
“I spoke with Mischa in Poland when we played the Conference League final, I haven’t spoken with him since then,” the boss clarified.
“I didn’t see the news but it was communicated to me. There’s nothing more I can add because I don’t have more information. Mischa is a Chelsea player. Until he is not, I will trust. And that goes for all the players.”
Maresca concluded: “Last time I spoke to him he was quite good. I didn’t see him worried. I haven’t spoken to him since then so I don’t know, but for sure we will have contact with him.”
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