From football to athletics and LA Olympics — Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk mulls career change

From football to athletics and LA Olympics — Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk mulls career change (AP Photo)

Remember Mykhailo Mudryk, the high-flying Chelsea forward whose career came crashing down after he failed a routine dope test earlier this year. The 24-year-old has decided to trade football for athletics and is aiming to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics for Ukraine, according to a report in Marca, a Spanish sports daily.

Mudryk reportedly is training with the Ukraine national sprint team under the tutelage of former Olympians. Pace would always be his currency, but swapping football boots for running studs is not easy, and he has a long road ahead.

Mudryk was one of the most sought-after players in Europe during the 2022-23 winter transfer window. He was making a mark in the Champions League and was taking the mickey out of the opposition defenders in the Ukrainian league. Chelsea and Arsenal entered into a bidding war for him before the Blues trumping their London rivals with a £89m (including add-ons) bid.

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Mudryk brought his breathtaking pace to the Premier League, clocking a top speed of 36.67 km/h in his first game. On the ball or in terms of finishing, he wasn't quite elite, but he was always willing to cover every blade of grass on the pitch. Then disaster struck. In April 2025 he tested positive for a banned substance, which came on the back of a routine dope test in March. Chelsea reportedly terminated his contract.

“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,” Chelsea had said in a statement.

The player called it a shock and pleaded his innocence. But Mudryk now faces being banned from football for up to four years and maybe this is a reason why he is contemplating a career change. He can bank on his blazing speed, but to get to the Olympics, Mudryk will have to meet World Athletics' minimum requirement mark and pass the Ukrainian trials in 2027.