What is Meldonium? The drug found in Mykhailo Mudryk's doping test
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With Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk provisionally suspended for failing a doping test, here’s everything to know about the drug Meldonium and the benefits it can bring for athletes.
Chelsea confirmed on Tuesday they had been contacted by the Football Association (FA) after an ‘adverse finding in a routine urine test’ with an investigation now set to take place regarding the Ukraine international.
Mudryk, 23, claims he is in ‘complete shock’ after testing positive for banned substance Meldonium – and denies ever knowingly using the drug.
Players found to have intentionally taken a banned substance can be banned for up to four years under FIFA guidelines – but what exactly is Meldonium and who else has tested positive for it? Read on to find out…
What is Meldonium and what benefit does it have for athletes?
Sold under under the brand name Mildronate, Meldonium was initially designed in Latvia for use in animals.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) added Meldonium to their list of banned substances eight years ago.
It was included on the list in 2016 because of ‘evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance’.
A study, published in Drug Testing and Analysis in December 2015, said Meldonium ‘demonstrates an increase in endurance performance of athletes, improved rehabilitation after exercise, protection against stress, and enhanced activations of central nervous system (CNS) functions’.
According to Medical News Today, Meldonium ‘is a fatty acid oxidation inhibitor, and it is now principally used for heart conditions, such as angina, heart attack, heart failure, and others’.
They add that ‘Meldonium might also help reduce withdrawal symptoms in people with alcohol dependency’ and other possible uses include for immune system modulation as well as treating stomach ulcers, eye trauma and infections of the lungs and upper respiratory tract.
Who else has tested positive for Meldonium?
Maria Sharapova tested positive for Meldonium eight years ago, which saw her provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
She was banned for 24 months before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced the suspension to 15 months on appeal.
The Russian tennis star said she had been taking the drug since 2006 to treat an ongoing medical issue.
‘I had been legally taking the medicine for the past 10 years, but on January 1 the rules had changed, and Meldonium became a prohibited substance, which I had not known,’ Sharapova said in March 2016.
A number of other athletes from the United States, Russia and other areas of Europe have faced bans for using Meldonium across various sports.
This includes Russian curler Alexander Krushelnitsky, who had a mixed doubles bronze medal stripped at the Winter Olympics in 2018.
