Chelsea centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo has admitted the team were caught off guard by news of Mykhailo Mudryk's failed drug test.
The Ukraine international has not featured in a Chelsea squad since December 1, citing his absence as 'illness', although many fans began to become skeptical when several weeks passed without an official update.
Then it was discovered that Mudryk had failed a doping test and was hit with a temporary suspension that prevents him from even training with Chelsea. The winger maintains his innocence and his manager Even Enzo Maresca has pledged to support the 23-year-old.
Asked about the team's reaction to the situation, Tosin said in a press conference: “It's new news for all of us. We found out at the same time as you guys. We still support Misha. We hope things get resolved.
“There's not much we can do in this situation, it's not in our hands. But Misha is part of our family, so we're here to support him.”
Indeed, Telegraph recently reported that Chelsea players had begun asking questions about Mudryk's continued absence, wondering why they hadn't heard any updates on a teammate who was supposedly battling an illness.
Mudryk, who has hired the same legal team that helped Paul Pogba reduce his doping ban from four years to 18 months, has insisted he must have accidentally taken a banned substance. The substance in question, meldonium, is not available in the UK but is used in Eastern Europe and may have been ingested during international duty with Ukraine.
“You have to take precautions,” Tosin said. “All of us are now very careful about what we are taking and the club is supporting us with that.”