Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been charged by the Football Association with violating its anti-doping rules after failing a drugs test and could now face up to a four-year ban.
The Ukraine international, 24, was provisionally suspended by the FA in December after an “adverse finding in a routine urine test”.
Players found to have intentionally taken a prohibited substance can be banned for up to four years under the guidelines of world football’s governing body, Fifa.
At the time Mudryk said he was in “complete shock” and he “never knowingly used any banned substances”.
He has not played for Chelsea since 28 November and has not been included in a matchday squad since 1 December.
Mudryk cannot train with Chelsea either, and the club have said they are supporting him and his mental wellbeing.
He attended the Uefa Conference League final in Poland last month in a private capacity and was not with the squad.
In a statement on Wednesday, the FA said: “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 have not commented but in December said they would work to establish what caused the failed test, adding: “Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances.”
Blues manager Enzo Maresca said in December: “We support Mykhailo and trust means that we believe Mykhailo.”
Under FA rules, players have the right to request analysis of the B sample from a urine test, in the event of an adverse analytical finding in an A sample.
If the B sample analysis confirms the adverse finding, charges will be brought.
Players can either accept the finding and the applicable consequences, or request that the matter proceed to a hearing.
Chelsea signed Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 in a deal worth up to £89m, and he is under contract at the club until June 2031.
Esther Rantzen’s daughter has issued a heartbreaking update on her health as she appealed for the public and MPs to grant her mum’s birthday wish by supporting the assisted dying bill on Friday
Dame Esther Rantzen and Rebecca Wilcox(Image: (Image: John Phillips/Getty Images))
Dame Esther Rantzen’s daughter is imploring the general public and MPs to fulfil her mother’s birthday wish by backing the assisted dying bill, with a pivotal vote lined up just before the legendary presenter rings in her 85th birthday this Sunday – a milestone she once doubted she’d see.
Rebecca Wilcox, 45, shared with the Express: “If the bill passes [Friday’s] vote, it will be an absolutely wonderful 85th birthday present for my mother and our family – and will give hope to thousands of terminally ill people today and for years to come.
“Please help to grant this wish for everyone in the future who would benefit from a more compassionate law by writing to your MP and reminding them that the majority of the public supports this crucial change. MPs, please listen to those you represent and give us choice over our deaths.”
Having recently disclosed that her “wonder” cancer medication had ceased to be effective, Dame Esther has since started another treatment regimen.
Rebecca relayed to Sky News on Wednesday that her mum is “coping” amidst her health struggles, adding: “This has been a long slog and we’re hoping that we can maybe have a rest this weekend, particularly as it is her birthday on Sunday.”
Rebecca has attended many rallies and campaign events(Image: PA)
Article continues below
Amidst the challenges, she expressed immense gratitude: “We are so grateful and so appreciative of all the time that we have with her, particularly as she turns 85 looking rather fabulous.”
Rebecca is set to join a major rally in Parliament Square on Friday morning, where supporters will gather to back the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill ahead of a crucial third reading.
The outcome is expected to be tighter than the second reading in November, when MPs supported the legislation by a majority of 55. However, at least 20 MPs have publicly indicated that they will change their votes, with most now opposing the bill.
Broadcaster Rebecca expressed her confusion about the situation, saying: “It’s completely confusing and discombobulating to know which way we should be feeling about it” as the vote approaches.”
She added: “We are really hopeful that we have the numbers. We obviously want people to keep writing to their MP, saying that they support the bill, because we know that nationally the numbers are with us.
“When every county has been polled, the majority do want a change to the law, the majority do want an assisted dying law that is safe, that respects the end of life care, that has dignity for those that are dying.”
Childline founder Dame Esther revealed in December 2023 that she had registered with Dignitas following a terminal lung cancer diagnosis.
The veteran campaigner said she did not want her family to be left with painful memories of the end of her life because “that memory obliterates all the happy times”. Her frank remarks struck a chord with millions across the UK, turning her into an unexpected champion for a renewed campaign to legalise assisted dying, a cause championed by the Express’s Give Us Our Last Rights movement.
Rebecca hailed the bill put forward by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater as a “really clever, safe piece of law that will stop the cruel status quo that exists at the moment”.
She emphasised that her mother is no longer advocating for her own right to medically assisted death, but for future individuals who will face similar plights.
She explained: “This bill was never going to be something that would come into effect to help my family. This is for everybody out there in the future.”
Campaigners Rebecca and her mum Esther are fighting to change the law(Image: Getty)
Rebecca also countered the “scaremongering” critics who propagate false claims about the bill’s reach and the implications of amending the legislation.
When questioned on whether the legalisation of assisted dying might alter perceptions of suicide, especially among those with mental health challenges, she shared: “I have had my own mental health struggles.
“I would never want somebody at their lowest ebb to think that this bill is corroborating suicide. It isn’t. All it is doing is shortening death.
“You are already dying, it is those last few days, those last few hours, and it gives the patient some ease. It is not saying, ‘we as a country think suicide is an admirable thing or a viable response to whatever it is you’re going through’.
“It’s saying, ‘you’re dying, palliative care is no longer helping, drugs are no longer helping, this is the only thing that will ease your suffering – this is the humane, dignified choice that you are being offered at the end of your life’.”
Rebecca, who serves as deputy president for Childline, also pondered the future if the bill is defeated on Friday. She acknowledged that it would represent “an absolutely fair process” and “democracy in action”.
Esther’s daughter Rebecca fears she may be prosecuted for murder if she helps her mother die(Image: ITV)
Yet she vowed to persist, commenting: “I have appreciated every single moment that I have had the privilege to be part of this campaign, to witness the fantastic MPs in Parliament standing up on both sides of the debate and giving such impassioned and careful, calm reasons for why they believe one way or the other way.
“If this doesn’t go the way I really want it to go on Friday, I’m not giving up. Thousands of people out there are going through things my mother is going through right now.
“There is no way I can give up, it’s not something I think is available to me, as much as I would love to have some time off.”
History shows campaigns to legalise assisted dying resurface in Parliament every 15-20 years.
Rebecca concluded: “I’ll be a little bit older, a little bit greyer, but no less vocal and strong-willed that this needs to happen. This country needs to catch up with the rest of the world.
Esther Rantzen’s daughter has issued a heartbreaking update on her health as she appealed for the public and MPs to grant her mum’s birthday wish by supporting the assisted dying bill on Friday
Dame Esther Rantzen and Rebecca Wilcox(Image: (Image: John Phillips/Getty Images))
Dame Esther Rantzen’s daughter is imploring the general public and MPs to fulfil her mother’s birthday wish by backing the assisted dying bill, with a pivotal vote lined up just before the legendary presenter rings in her 85th birthday this Sunday – a milestone she once doubted she’d see.
Rebecca Wilcox, 45, shared with the Express: “If the bill passes [Friday’s] vote, it will be an absolutely wonderful 85th birthday present for my mother and our family – and will give hope to thousands of terminally ill people today and for years to come.
“Please help to grant this wish for everyone in the future who would benefit from a more compassionate law by writing to your MP and reminding them that the majority of the public supports this crucial change. MPs, please listen to those you represent and give us choice over our deaths.”
Having recently disclosed that her “wonder” cancer medication had ceased to be effective, Dame Esther has since started another treatment regimen.
Rebecca relayed to Sky News on Wednesday that her mum is “coping” amidst her health struggles, adding: “This has been a long slog and we’re hoping that we can maybe have a rest this weekend, particularly as it is her birthday on Sunday.”
Rebecca has attended many rallies and campaign events(Image: PA)
Article continues below
Amidst the challenges, she expressed immense gratitude: “We are so grateful and so appreciative of all the time that we have with her, particularly as she turns 85 looking rather fabulous.”
Rebecca is set to join a major rally in Parliament Square on Friday morning, where supporters will gather to back the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill ahead of a crucial third reading.
The outcome is expected to be tighter than the second reading in November, when MPs supported the legislation by a majority of 55. However, at least 20 MPs have publicly indicated that they will change their votes, with most now opposing the bill.
Broadcaster Rebecca expressed her confusion about the situation, saying: “It’s completely confusing and discombobulating to know which way we should be feeling about it” as the vote approaches.”
She added: “We are really hopeful that we have the numbers. We obviously want people to keep writing to their MP, saying that they support the bill, because we know that nationally the numbers are with us.
“When every county has been polled, the majority do want a change to the law, the majority do want an assisted dying law that is safe, that respects the end of life care, that has dignity for those that are dying.”
Childline founder Dame Esther revealed in December 2023 that she had registered with Dignitas following a terminal lung cancer diagnosis.
The veteran campaigner said she did not want her family to be left with painful memories of the end of her life because “that memory obliterates all the happy times”. Her frank remarks struck a chord with millions across the UK, turning her into an unexpected champion for a renewed campaign to legalise assisted dying, a cause championed by the Express’s Give Us Our Last Rights movement.
Rebecca hailed the bill put forward by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater as a “really clever, safe piece of law that will stop the cruel status quo that exists at the moment”.
She emphasised that her mother is no longer advocating for her own right to medically assisted death, but for future individuals who will face similar plights.
She explained: “This bill was never going to be something that would come into effect to help my family. This is for everybody out there in the future.”
Campaigners Rebecca and her mum Esther are fighting to change the law(Image: Getty)
Rebecca also countered the “scaremongering” critics who propagate false claims about the bill’s reach and the implications of amending the legislation.
When questioned on whether the legalisation of assisted dying might alter perceptions of suicide, especially among those with mental health challenges, she shared: “I have had my own mental health struggles.
“I would never want somebody at their lowest ebb to think that this bill is corroborating suicide. It isn’t. All it is doing is shortening death.
“You are already dying, it is those last few days, those last few hours, and it gives the patient some ease. It is not saying, ‘we as a country think suicide is an admirable thing or a viable response to whatever it is you’re going through’.
“It’s saying, ‘you’re dying, palliative care is no longer helping, drugs are no longer helping, this is the only thing that will ease your suffering – this is the humane, dignified choice that you are being offered at the end of your life’.”
Rebecca, who serves as deputy president for Childline, also pondered the future if the bill is defeated on Friday. She acknowledged that it would represent “an absolutely fair process” and “democracy in action”.
Esther’s daughter Rebecca fears she may be prosecuted for murder if she helps her mother die(Image: ITV)
Yet she vowed to persist, commenting: “I have appreciated every single moment that I have had the privilege to be part of this campaign, to witness the fantastic MPs in Parliament standing up on both sides of the debate and giving such impassioned and careful, calm reasons for why they believe one way or the other way.
“If this doesn’t go the way I really want it to go on Friday, I’m not giving up. Thousands of people out there are going through things my mother is going through right now.
“There is no way I can give up, it’s not something I think is available to me, as much as I would love to have some time off.”
History shows campaigns to legalise assisted dying resurface in Parliament every 15-20 years.
Rebecca concluded: “I’ll be a little bit older, a little bit greyer, but no less vocal and strong-willed that this needs to happen. This country needs to catch up with the rest of the world.
Fans were awestruck when Lesha Dixon started rapping in a central London train station in a video that has since gone viral. The former Mis-Teeq star and Strictly Come Dancing judge is now known as Lesha Dixon.
Music fans are begging Alesha Dixon to return to her roots thanks to an iconic reminder of her rapping skills The Britain’s Got Talent judge is better known as a TV star these days, but true fans remember her best as one third of garage group Mis-Teeq.
And the former Strictly Come Dancing star is more than happy to remind people she still has it. The mum-of-two, 47, gave an impromptu rapping session in busy London streets early this week – leaving fans all saying the same thing following footage shared on TikTok going viral.
Alesha stunned onlookers and began spitting bars at King’s Cross Station, which was a remarkable event. Numerous fans on TikTok remarked that they “never knew” the singer had it in her to drop rhymes uncontrollably in front of an audience.
Alesha Dixon sent fans wild on TikTok thanks to her impromptu performance (Image: djagonline/Instagram)
One TikTok user commented, “She’s showing the younger ones how it’s done.” Many fans reminisced, “This takes me back 20 years and I love it”! Alesha, who first gained notoriety with the girl group Mis-Teeq, stole the hearts of many fans.
“Imagine taking time out to travel to King’s Cross, expecting to see a musician performing only to discover Alesha Dixon on the mic,” one stunned fan declared, with another raging: “The Mis-Teeq fans would have gone crazy… what is this crowd?”
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Other social media sleuths have identified the tunes Alesha dished out, with Mis-Teeq fans appreciative of her choice. She raps from a Mis-Teeq album track called Nitro, which appears on their follow-up album, Eye Candy, according to one observer.
The best MC you’re ever going to get, Lessa Dixon, absolutely nails it. status of liasion. She does it in a way that no one else can. Another fan remarked, “This is the Alesha I know.” brings me back to my days of clubbing”!
Between 2000 and 2005, Zena McNally left the ensemble and Alesha graced the stage with Mis-Teeq, Sabrina Washington, and Su-Elise Nash.
Alesha with her former bandmates in 2002(Image: Getty Images)
Mis-Teeq may never have been able to top the charts, but their debut album, “Lickin’ on Both Sides,” soared to number three.
The group’s follow-up, “Eye Candy,” also placed respectably at number six in the UK charts. Fans may be wishing for a Mis-Teeq reunion thanks to Alesha’s rendition of their street hits, but they shouldn’t hold their breath.
While other popular bands like Blue and Steps have reunited following previous breakups, it seems like all the Mis-Teeq women aren’t exactly in a good mood right now.
It became known that bandmate Sabrina Washington planned to sue Alesha and the former record label Universal over royalties in January 2021, just three months before Mis-Teeq’s debut hit “Why.”
According to reports, Sabrina allegedly wants to reclaim some of the money after it was claimed that Alesha had “incorrectly” collected royalties from Mis-Teeq’s first singles (which the star’s representatives denied).
At the height of the storm, a spokesman for Sabrina stated: “We are unable to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.” When the Mirror Online reached out, Alesha’s representative was clear-cut in their response: “My only comment on this is that there is no truth in the matter whatsoever.”
The ruckus wasn’t the first disagreement between Mis-Teeq’s members because Sabrina had previously criticized Alesha’s abilities, saying she “should have stuck MC-ing because her voice isn’t that strong.”
It was in 2008 that former I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! contestant Sabrina took a jab at Alesha, criticising her vocal prowess post Mis-Teeq’s break up.
In a biting remark made in 2008, Sabrina, Alesha’s ex-bandmate, said, “Many people think Alesha should have stuck to MC-ing because of her weak voice, and I agree.” I did a lot of the work for “Mis-Teeq””.
Sabrina addressed her group’s experiences without words, calling them “bittersweet” and talking about how she faced prejudice from the industry, being told she was “too dark be on any covers” and that “black women don’t sell magazines.”
While there doesn’t appear to be any love lost between Alesha and Sabrina, the Britain’s Got Talent gets on better with her other former bandmate, Su-Elise. While on This Morning in 2022, Alesha candidly shared: “I’m exhausted, I’m not gonna lie. I’ve got new music coming. Music is what I do, it’s something that I love.”
Continue reading the article.
“I don’t call it a comeback. In 2023 I’m gonna make it a priority. I’ll put something out, probably around April or May. It’s a passion project. And I’m independent now so there’s no pressure. There won’t be a Mis-Teeq reunion anytime soon. I caught up with Su-Elise in Australia. She lives there now. Our babies were playing together. The Mis-Teeq babies!”.
Following the star’s father’s passing in 2009, Jake Quicken’s son, Leo, claimed he saw Jake’s late father, Paul, in the house.
Jake Quickenden was left shaken after his son Leo claimed he saw the 36-year-old’s late father standing by the bedroom doorway. The singer and ex-footballer quickly filmed a video asking his son questions about what he saw while Leo looked nonchalant about the entire paranormal ordeal.
Leo was laying on his bed in the moving video, asking his father questions. When Jake inquired, “Your daddy’s here,” Leo responded, “What did you say to me a minute ago”? When the toddler inquired about his late father’s location, Jake repeated what Leo had said. He is invisible because, according to Leo, he was the sky.
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Leo said he saw Jake’s late father standing in the house(Image: jakequickenden/Instagram)
Jake then inquired about Paul’s passing, who passed away in 2009 from myeloma, in the home. Jake was informed that this was where Leo saw Paul when he pointed to the bedroom doorway.
When Leo inquired what the late Paul was doing by the doorway, he responded, “He was greeting me. Jake questioned whether Paul had left him a message, which he could not contain.
Leo revealed that Paul had already said he loved Jake when Leo was lying down on the bed. The actor admitted that the paranormal circumstance had scared him a little bit.
Continue reading the article.
I’m not sure if I’m completely terrified or cry because Leo and I were just playing in my room when he started saying this stuff, literally out of the blue. !
He then described him and everything, and he’s seen a few pictures, but overall total madness. What would get him to say that? Kids see, they say.
Celebrity Big Brother’s Chris Hughes wrote, “I believe every word, very sweet of him to pop bye to see you,” in the comments section.
Jake was speechless(Image: jakequickenden/Instagram)
What is truly beautiful, and kids are so interested in this kind of thing, Lucy Jo Hudson wrote. Your beautiful boy just told you, one fan said, “He was there, babes! How amazing and happy for you.
Jake’s father’s passing in 2009 caused him to fall apart, and his brother Oliver passed away with bone cancer at the age of 19 in 2013.
Yet, their spirits remain part of the family tapestry, with Jake sharing a heartfelt nod to them by naming his kids after them.
Before his second child, Kit, was born, he said, “Leo’s middle name is Oliver, after my little brother, and the new baby’s middle name is Paul.”
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British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell believes scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park will be “up and running” by the time the side reach Australia next week.
After sitting out Leinster’s United Rugby Championship (URC) final victory over the Bulls on Saturday, Gibson-Park – who is widely tipped to be the starting nine come the Test series against the Wallabies – will not feature against Argentina in Dublin on Friday night because of injury.
Farrell, though, said the results of a scan on Monday were “pretty positive” and added that those unavailable to face the Pumas in the tour’s first game were “all a week or so away from being fit”.
“Good news on most of the injuries,” said Farrell, who will be acting as Lions head coach for the first time on Friday.
Leicester Tigers scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet has been brought into camp as cover, although England’s Alex Mitchell will start at nine at the Aviva Stadium with Wales’ Tomos Williams on the bench.
Hugo Keenan and Tadhg Furlong also missed out as Leinster claimed their first silverware in four years at Croke Park on Saturday, but the latter will play his first rugby since his side’s Investec Champions Cup semi-final defeat by Northampton Saints on 3 May should he come off the bench against Argentina.
Furlong, 32, will become a Lion for a third time at the end of a season when he has been dogged by injury and only featured nine times for his province and Ireland.
“He’s fit and ready to go,” Farrell said of the tight-head prop, while adding that Scotland and Glasgow centre Huw Jones has trained fully.
“He’s trained well and as keen as everyone else to get the show on the road.”
‘Those guys are ahead of the game’
With Leinster, Bath and Leicester Tigers all involved in domestic finals last weekend, and Toulouse’s season still ongoing in France, it was a smaller panel that Farrell brought to Portugal last week for a training camp.
Although Leinster hooker Ronan Kelleher will be on the bench on Friday night six days after lifting the URC, the remainder of the side picked to face Argentina were present when preparations kicked off.
“Those guys are ahead of the game. It turned out quite a nice mix for those guys to get ahead of curve [and was] quite a diverse group in terms of combinations and people not playing together,” said Farrell.
“It’s nice for that group to have a week where they get settled in and for the other guys to join them on Monday, some on a high, one [Leicester’s Ollie Chessum] not, but it’s nice for them to have a bit of time to spend with the lads, get to know everyone, and see what’s been going on.
“They’ve had one training session so it was nice to get everyone together finally.”
Despite picking from a smaller pool of players, Farrell believes that the talent at his disposal this weekend shows the depth of the touring party.
“It’s exciting. I did an exercise a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve done it about five times since, of what you think that the Test side could be. You can’t even go there because there’s such good competition.
“The exciting thing about Friday night is these guys get to show their team-mates sat in the stand what they’re all about.
“Ultimately what happens on these tours, you can talk about anything you want to but, these guys, all they’re trying to do is gain respect off one another.”
