Chelsea FC footballer Mykhailo Mudryk receives FACEIT ban

Chelsea FC footballer Mykhailo Mudryk has received a four-week ban from Counter-Strike 2 platform FACEIT following a string of offensive comments.

While playing a match on the platform, Mudryk made several offensive comments surrounding the Massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia during World War 2.

According to FACEIT’s banning policy, a four-week ban is issued to accounts that have previously committed an offence. Once the ban is lifted, the offending account has a three-month probation period to avoid further punishments. A third toxicity ban can result in a one-year suspension from the platform.

The situation reportedly stemmed from his opponents mocking the winger over a failed drug test in June 2025. As a result, Mudryk retaliated with references to the Volyn Massacres and Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939 through in-game text chat.

In December 2024, Mykhailo Mudryk tested positive for meldonium, a performance-enhancing drug banned by The FA. June saw the player test positive once again in another test, resulting in a suspension of up to four years.

The massacres and invasion resulted in the loss of approximately six million Polish lives throughout the war, remaining a divisive topic between Poles and Ukrainians.

Counter-Strike remains a popular title among professional footballers, with several either actively playing the first-person shooter or fielding rosters in high-profile tournaments. In 2023, Ukrainian footballer Oleksandr Zinchenko launched Passion UA, whose Counter-Strike team has cemented its place as one of the world’s best, frequently competing in Tier 1 tournaments.

Elsewhere, Brazilian footballer Neymar Jr is known for his love of Counter-Strike and accumulated over 11,000 hours over the last 18 months.

While FACEIT has yet to comment on the incident, the platform’s swift response reaffirms its stance against toxic behaviour, showcasing that there is no place for it in esports.