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Richie Mills

Premier League & EFL players 'escaped sanctions' despite testing positive for banned substance during 2023-24 season

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Two male footballers playing in English football have reportedly escaped a sanction despite testing positive for a banned substance.

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✅ The "Sport Plus" tier bundles both Sky Sports (via NOW) and TNT Sports into one seamless package to cover all 267 televised matches.

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✅ Includes the Apple TV 4K or EE TV Box Pro for high-end viewing and easy multi-room streaming setups.

Monthly from£25

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

  • Two footballers test positive for banned substance
  • Play in top four tiers of English football
  • Escape a sanction for 2023/24 failed test
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    According to The Athletic, two players tested positive for a banned substance during the tests carried out after Premier League and English Football League games last season. The report adds it is unclear what substances were found in the samples or why they escaped punishment.

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    The report adds that the number of tests carried out by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has dropped a significant amount year on year. In 2023-24, 2,176 tests across the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two were carried out, compared to 2,546 in those four divisions the year before. That is an 11 per cent fall in testing which is a worrying statistic and raises a lot of questions.

  • WHAT THE FA SAID

    The English Football Association told The Athletic: “We take anti-doping in English football extremely seriously. We are fully compliant with the National Anti-Doping Policy of the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport; fund one of world sport’s leading anti-doping programmes; and input into targeted, researched and intelligence-led drug testing that is directed by UK Anti-Doping. We also operate our own dedicated social drugs programme to safeguard the physical and mental wellbeing of footballers; and to uphold the values and ethics of the sport.”

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    WHAT NEXT?

    One player who is currently suspended after returning an adverse finding in a urine test last November is Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk. The Ukrainian has denied any wrongdoing and is awaiting what punishment, if any, will be handed to him.