Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk receives driving ban
Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been handed a year-long driving ban and ordered to complete 60 hours of unpaid work after appearing at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court today, reports BritPanorama.
The 24-year-old Ukrainian admitted to three offences: driving whilst disqualified, operating a vehicle without third-party insurance, and using a car in a dangerous condition.
Magistrate Sonia O’Connor told the footballer: “The sentence would have been larger but we have taken into account your guilty plea. You must pay your fine today at the court. You cannot drive.” Mudryk was also ordered to pay £199, which includes a £114 victim surcharge and £85 in costs.
The incident occurred on 2 October, when officers in a marked police vehicle spotted Mudryk’s BMW M8 traveling through Chiswick in west London. The car, which displayed Ukrainian registration plates, attracted attention due to its heavily tinted front windows. Prosecutor Ashleigh Ettienne informed the court that the glass was not compliant and blocked 90 percent of light.
Upon checking Mudryk’s credentials, police discovered he had already received a six-month disqualification in August for speeding offences. Additionally, it was revealed that he was driving without a valid driving licence or insurance at the time of the stop, leading to the seizure of the £140,000 vehicle.
Defence counsel Daniel Higgins explained that Mudryk’s regular chauffeur was unavailable that morning, leaving the Ukrainian international unable to reach training. “It is not particularly easy for him to use public transport as he is high-profile,” Higgins added.
His lawyer described Mudryk as “a very hard-working industrious man who has had some real difficulties over the last year.” Higgins acknowledged, however, that his client “was not thinking” when he decided to drive despite his existing ban. The winger currently resides in a luxury apartment in Imperial Wharf, Fulham, where properties command prices exceeding £3 million.
This court appearance marks another low point for the Ukrainian international during a tumultuous period. Mudryk remains suspended from all football activities following a positive test for meldonium, a prohibited substance, which emerged in late 2024. The FA provisionally suspended him in December after an A-sample returned a positive result the previous October, leaving him facing a potential four-year ban from the sport.
The winger, who arrived at Stamford Bridge in January 2023 as one of the club’s most expensive acquisitions, has made 73 appearances for Chelsea so far, scoring 10 goals and providing seven assists. Despite his suspension from football activities, he is understood to still be receiving his £97,000 weekly wages.
In the world of football, where talent meets tumult, Mudryk’s recent troubles remind us that even the brightest stars can face their darkest hours.
