Ukraine President takes drug test before debating comedian in 70,000-seater stadium

Zelensky, a comedian with no political experience who played the role of the country's President on a sitcom for three years, is the frontrunner in the race after winning the first round of voting.

A drug and alcohol test was one of his conditions for taking part in a debate with Petro Poroshenko, as the incumbent seeks to make up ground ahead of the run-off on April 21.

Poroshenko, who has been in his post since 2014, agreed to the stipulation, live-streaming his test on Facebook. "We are creating new traditions," he said as his blood was taken, according to Agence France-Presse.

Reporters watched on a television screen as the test took place in another room at Kiev's Olympic Stadium, where the debate is set to take place -- as per another of Zelensky's demands.

The initial results came back negative, doctors said. Zelensky took his own test at a private clinic, after refusing Poroshenko's offer to take them together.

"I had my blood drawn, they drained me of all my blood. There's a lot of it, my young blood," the comedian told reporters, in an apparent joke at his challenger's age.

Zelensky undergoes his test at a private clinic.

The incident ensured the race between the two candidates descended further into a media spectacle, which will only continue when the two face off in a debate inside Kiev's 70,000-seat stadium -- the nation's largest arena, which was renovated for the Euro 2012 soccer tournament.

The event -- in a stadium where Madonna, Shakira and the Red Hot Chili Peppers have performed in recent years -- reflects the huge domestic interest in the race.

Ahead of the showpiece, Zelensky released a slickly produced video shot inside the stadium.

In Ukraine's election, a comedian might be voters' best choice

The comedian made his name starring in "Servant of the People" -- a Ukrainian television series now carried on Netflix -- as a down-and-out schoolteacher who unexpectedly becomes President of Ukraine.

But life imitated art as the star leapt into the lead in opinion polls, despite his campaign initially being dismissed as a joke. He ultimately dominated the first round of voting in March, picking up 30% of votes cast compared to Poroshenko's 16%.

But the surreal race comes at a serious time for Ukraine, which has spent five years locked in a proxy war with Russia.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet Poroshenko next week, her office has confirmed.

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