Journalist Ben Jacobs' latest revelations reveal a fraught plot: new Chelsea signing Mudrick, even if his B-sample tests come back negative, could still be subjected to a storm of charges from the FA.
Mudrick is anxiously awaiting the results of the B-sample, which will determine the course of his soccer career. Optimistically, if the B-sample is negative, the charges could be dropped or he could only receive a fine and an educational penalty. But things could take a turn for the worse and he could be charged by the FA and face a ban of up to four years, similar to the one Pogba received for the banned agent incident, although Pogba's ban was reduced to 18 months by a ruling of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
A fact of concern is that even if the B sample comes back negative, the FA may initiate charges against Mudrick based on the positive A sample. Under anti-doping rules, athletes are responsible for the ingestion of any banned substance, regardless of their subjective intent. The FA's final decision will depend on the arguments put forward by Mudrick and the evidence behind them. If Mudrick can provide strong evidence of innocence, then the likelihood of the FA charging will be significantly reduced.
However, in extremely rare cases where contamination or vandalism can be proven, Mudrick may be able to return to action quickly. As of this moment, however, he has not been able to play or train for Chelsea, and the club is giving him its full support and attention to his mental health. Regardless of the outcome, the road ahead of Mudrick will be full of challenges and unknowns. It will be a test not only of his career, but also of Chelsea's ability to cope.
