Renowned sports lawyer Ilya Skoropashkin has raised serious concerns about the future of Mykhailo Mudryk amid ongoing doping allegations. The lawyer believes that if Chelsea's chosen defense strategy fails, it could have catastrophic consequences for the Ukrainian winger.

The club is reportedly pursuing a defense that suggests the banned substance meldonium may have entered Mudryk's system unintentionally through an injection of another drug, Actovegin.

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"If the Actovegin explanation is accurate, this is a logical move. Building a defense around the accidental ingestion of meldonium through Actovegin is one of the few ways to significantly reduce the suspension," Skoropashkin explained. "However, there are substantial risks. Anti-doping agencies can precisely measure the concentration of banned substances, and this defense is only viable if Mudryk's meldonium levels are extremely low. His legal team must prove that the substance entered his body indirectly."

Skoropashkin warns that if Chelsea's defense is based solely on avoiding responsibility and the meldonium concentration contradicts this narrative, the fallout could be severe.

"If this strategy is developed solely to avoid punishment and the detected levels of the banned substance don't align with this version, the consequences could be catastrophic," he cautioned.

As the investigation continues, Mudryk's footballing future hangs in the balance, with the outcome of this case set to play a pivotal role in his career.