Meldonium, “favorite doping” of russian athletes, found in Mykhailo Mudryk’s sample - media

One of the most authoritative media outlets about Ukrainian football, TaToTake, reports that meldonium, a banned drug used mainly in post-Soviet countries, was found in the doping sample of the Chelsea and Ukrainian national team player Mykhailo Mudryk.

TaToTake reported this on its Telegram channel.

“Based on the information received from our sources, it is highly likely that the banned drug found in Mykhailo Mudryk’s blood is meldonium (mildronate), banned by WADA since January 1, 2016,” the post says.

Mildronate was developed in Latvia in 1975, and WADA considers this drug to be a metabolic modulator similar to insulin. They are recommended primarily for the complex therapy of ischemic heart disease. Indications include chronic heart failure, withdrawal syndrome from chronic alcoholism, and reduced performance and physical overstrain, particularly in athletes.

It is believed that when using mildronate, the body trains to withstand stress, use oxygen economically, and quickly restore energy reserves in order to prepare for new loads.

Sports doctor Dmytro Babeliuk emphasizes in his Telegram channel Hospital Pass that no international independent studies have confirmed the effect of meldonium. It is banned by WADA because it is potentially dangerous for athletes and is harmful to the game due to its mass use in one region.

“Taking such a drug and hoping for an effect is an indicator of incompetence. If it was taken at all,” Babeliuk emphasized.

He added that meldonium is not used in Europe, but it is popular in post-Soviet countries.

“Created in Latvia, popular in russia and Ukraine. Because of it, Sharapova was disqualified and half of the Ukrainian and russian Olympians were banned en masse after 2016,” the doctor wrote.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, today Mykhailo Mudryk and Chelsea confirmed that a prohibited substance was found in Mykhailo’s doping test. The football player claims that he has never knowingly used doping, and together with the club, they are investigating how such a doping test result could have occurred.

Mudryk faces a four-year disqualification, which can be significantly reduced if the football player proves that he did not knowingly use doping.

In the summer, Mudryk was credited with an “affair” with russian model Vitoleta Gracheva.