Mykhailo Mudryk doping case: 10 facts about meldonium

Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk's future has been called into question following a failed meldonium test, thus highlighting the more general problem of doping in sports. The Football Association (FA) enforced an interim suspension based on the chemical's presence in his system. 

With the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) outlawing meldonium in 2016, the probe of Mudryk's case underlines the continuous worries about the use of illegal drugs in professional sports. 

The consequences of testing positive for meldonium and their role in enhancing athletic performance are at stake in this case. 

Given this, we review ten salient facts regarding meldonium, including its definition, use in sports, and possible effects on athletes who test positive for it.

1. What is meldonium?

Developed in the 1970s by Latvian scientist Ivars Kalvins, meldonium—also known as Mildronate—earliest usage was in the treatment of circulatory ailments, including heart disease. Since the medication increases blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues, it has a life-saving action on patients with these disorders. 

Particularly among sportsmen competing in such events, the medication gained popularity in Russia and Eastern Europe because of its capacity to boost endurance and general physical ability. 

This medication was included on the list of drugs forbidden by WADA, due to its growing use in sporting events. Claims by athletes that it gave them an unfair advantage by increasing their energy, endurance, and recovery rates set up controversy in the professional sports scene.

2. How long does meldonium stay in the body?

Dealing with doping circumstances depends much on the length of time a substance stays in the system. The body clearly has a half-life for meldonium that can be between one to two days. 

Depending on the quantity and personal metabolism, meldonium can be seen in urine for several weeks following administration. 

Consequently, it could still show up in the results even if the drug was taken months before the test. 

Tennis player Maria Sharapova tested positive for meldonium and was suspended despite having stopped using the substance years ago.

3. Why was meldonium banned by WADA?

Due to its proven capacity to improve athletic performance—especially in connection to stamina, power generation, and recovery times—the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned athletes from using meldonium. 

Meldonium's effects on the metabolic rate enable athletes to recover from exercises faster and preserve a better degree of energy for longer. 

For athletes whose occupations demand constant physical activity—that is, those who play football, cycle, or run long distances—these characteristics make the drug perfect.

Meldonium was included on WADA's list of forbidden drugs as it had such possible advantages. Having it in the system while competing would give one a major edge.

4. Why was meldonium banned in sports?

Though they vary, athletes who test positive for meldonium sometimes suffer dire repercussions. If athletes cannot prove they were either ignorant that the substance was illegal or that they did not intend to act improperly, they may be subject to severe fines. 

One of the harsh penalties for major drug offences is a four-year suspension or longer mandated by the relevant sports regulating bodies. 

Maria Sharapova's position is a clear example of the consequences a positive drug test could cause for sportsmen. She proved she needed the medicine for medicinal purposes; hence her two-year ban was reduced to fifteen months. 

Using a similar approach in Mudryk's case, the authorities will probably choose the suitable penalty based on whether Mudryk ingested the drug deliberately or unintentionally.

5. How is meldonium used in sports?

Meldonium is mostly used in sports demanding continuous physical effort, such as endurance races, to increase stamina and lower tiredness. 

Many sports competitions, such as football and marathon running, have as their major component the capacity to sustain a high degree of intensity for prolonged periods of time. 

The effects of the medicine on energy metabolism allow sportsmen to get through this. 

Athletes have a competitive advantage in high-stress events since with meldonium they can exercise harder and more frequently without running the risk of overtraining or extreme tiredness.

6. Is meldonium available in the UK?

Russian and other Eastern European doctors frequently treat cardiac diseases and enhance blood flow using meldonium.

However, meldonium is prohibited in the UK and many other Western nations as it has not been medically approved. 

When it comes to utilising meldonium, a banned substance declared by WADA, athletes exercise extreme caution.

Getting the medicine without a prescription is likewise banned in the UK. Athletes should be particularly cautious with the supplements and other drugs they consume since even a minimal level of meldonium could cause a false positive.

7. Can athletes use meldonium for medical reasons?

Although it's recommended for some countries—especially for those with heart problems or poor circulation—meldonium is illegal in sports. The right sports authorities tell athletes who need meldonium for medical reasons to apply for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE). 

This way, the authorities can be sure that the athletes are using it for medical reasons and not to improve their performance. 

Using meldonium during competition is seen as a breach of anti-doping regulations in the absence of an exception, which may result in heavy fines and suspensions.

8. How does meldonium affect the body’s metabolism?

Meldonium mostly influences the body by altering fatty acid metabolism. It speeds up the rate at which the body turns glucose into energy by blocking carnitine, a molecule that makes it easier for fatty acids to get into cells' mitochondria. 

During intense physical exertion, glucose is utilised up more quickly and effectively than lipids because of its simplicity of digestion. 

For athletes, this metabolic change could be rather helpful since it increases endurance and reduces tiredness, thereby enabling them to run for longer without stopping. In endurance sports especially, this is true.

9. High-profile cases involving meldonium

Maria Sharapova in 2016 was the most well-known athlete who tested positive for meldonium and faced punishment. 

Her punishment was dropped from two years to fifteen months when she claimed ignorance about meldonium's inclusion on the list of prohibited drugs and that she was using it for medical purposes. 

Through her lawsuit, she drew attention to the use of meldonium in professional sports and the possibility of legal ambiguity over it. 

Due to it being linked with PEDs, many athletes—especially those from Russia and Eastern Europe—have also been penalised for positive meldonium tests.

This underlines once again the seriousness of the possible consequences of using it in competition.

10. Current research and ongoing controversy

Despite being banned, Meldonium nevertheless generates a lot of discussion and research inside the sports sector.

Some doctors and athletes believe that the claims that meldonium can improve performance have been blown out of proportion and that the supplement's benefits for endurance and recovery are not given enough credit. 

But many, especially those doing endurance events, believe meldonium actually benefits athletes. 

Studies on meldonium's effects on the body are still in progress, but every time a player tests positive for the medication, it heightens discussions about the drug and the doping controversies around it.