Mykhailo Mudryk, a Chelsea winger, has tested positive for a banned substance during a routine drug test by the English FA.

In a statement on Tuesday, Chelsea said the FA had contacted the player over “an adverse finding in a routine urine test”.

The club added that “Mykhailo has confirmed categorically that he has never knowingly used any banned substances”.

Mudryk, in a post on his Instagram page, described the result as “complete shock”.

The Ukrainian insisted that he had not “done anything wrong” and was cooperating with the FA on the investigation.

The FA is yet to state which banned substance was found in Mudryk’s urine test.

Mudryk has missed the past five Chelsea matches in all competitions. He last played for the club in November. He was last included in Chelsea’s matchday squad on December 1, when the Blues won against Aston Villa. He was named a substitute but never featured.

Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s head coach, had said publicly that Mudryk’s absence was due to illness.

Pascal Atuma, the Canadian-based filmmaker, has expanded his entrepreneurial endeavors with the launch of Tabic Sports Agency, a football agency in Nigeria.

The agency, which the filmmaker described as “FIFA-licensed” was unveiled at a press conference in Lagos on Sunday.

At the launch, Atuma shared his vision for the agency, which aims to represent players globally.

The Abia-born movie producer emphasized that Tabic Sports Agency aims to support, manage, and represent talented footballers in Nigeria and Africa, “ensuring they are not left behind or exploited”.

The 52-year-old screenwriter said the agency will provide guidance and resources to help the players’ transition from obscurity to becoming professionals capable of competing globally.

Atuma also revealed that his journey to establishing “the FIFA-licensed agency spanned 41 years”.

“This sports agency is a 41-year journey. We started without all the things needed because we did not want to wait. In 2019, we were issued the FIFA intermediary license which we started and represented some Nigerian boys,” he said.

“Last year, FIFA cancelled all intermediary licenses in the world. At the time, there were over 300 intermediaries in Nigeria. Then they forced all intermediaries to take exams from Zurich at the capital of one’s country.

“Since then, it has been difficult because the passing rate is 19%. I don’t think FIFA licensed agencies in Nigeria are up to 20 right now. The way it is structured now, for you to do football business, you must be licensed directly by FIFA. We are glad to announce that I am officially a FIFA-licensed football global agent.

“… the license is not a Nigerian or African license, it is a global license. So, there is no reason we can’t represent players from Mexico, Australia, and Saudi Arabia but charity begins at home. That is why we are launching the agency in Lagos, Nigeria.

“An agency that will go out there and make sure no football talent in Nigeria and Africa is left behind. Most of the very talented young men and women in football do not have support so we are going to provide that support, management, representation, and make sure they are not exploited.

“In the business of sport, there is a lot of exploitation but if you work with the right team there will be no exploitation. So we will be the agency that will take a gifted child to be a talented professional that can compete globally. We are going to take them from nowhere to the promised land of football.”

Ademola Lookman, Super Eagles winger, says his success as the 2024 CAF men’s player of the year came after he “failed in front of the world” four years prior.

Lookman spoke after receiving the award as the best African male footballer of 2024 in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday.

The 27-year-old finished ahead of Achraf Hakimi, Simon Adingra, Ronwen Williams and Serhou Guirassy to win the coveted individual prize for male African footballers.

He followed in the footsteps of Victor Osimhen, who won the award in 2023.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lookman referenced his failure to convert a penalty for Everton in November 2020.

Lookman had the opportunity to earn a point for Fulham in their English Premier League (EPL) match against West Ham United. Instead, he failed to execute a Panenka penalty kick easily saved by Lukasz Fabianski as West Ham won 1-0.

The penalty attempt earned him mockery on social media, and Scott Parker, Fulham’s manager, ripped into the player in public.

“Just over four years ago I failed in front of the world. Fast forward four years, I’m the best player in Africa,” Lookman said after receiving the award.

“I want to say to the young children and people watching this: don’t let your failures weigh you down that they break your wings. Matter of fact, turn your pain into your power and continue to fight.

“Firstly. I want to thank the Almighty God for everything he has been doing in my life, and everything he has been blessing me with.

“I want to thank the president, I want to thank all my teammates- club and country. I want to thank them for all their support and love that they gave me.”

“This award today is a blessing to me, to my family, to my nation, and to be recognized as the best player in Africa. It’s something incredible and I’m extremely proud of.”

Lookman left Fulham after that season for RB Salzburg in Germany, where he continued to flap his wings before taking flight following his move to Atalanta in the summer of 2022.