Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is eligible to return to competitive football immediately after resolving his long-running doping case with the Football Association (FA).
The Ukraine international has not featured in an official match since November 2024 after being provisionally suspended for returning an adverse test for the banned substance meldonium.
Although the FA initially handed the 25-year-old a four-year ban, Mudryk appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
On Friday, the FA confirmed that the disciplinary proceedings had been resolved after Mudryk accepted a breach of anti-doping regulations. Having also agreed to a suspension equivalent to the time he had already served.
As a result, the Chelsea winger is now free to resume playing without any further restrictions.
Reacting to the decision, Mudryk described the past two years as the most difficult period of his career.
“As I have always maintained from the outset of this case, I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any banned substance,” he said.
He also thanked Chelsea, his family and supporters for standing by him throughout the process, adding that he is excited to begin the next chapter of his career.
Chelsea’s Response
Chelsea welcomed the outcome, saying the club is looking forward to reintegrating Mudryk into the squad.
The Blues confirmed he will join the team’s pre-season tour as they work towards restoring his match fitness.
“We are pleased that the matter has now reached a conclusion which allows him to return to football with immediate effect,” Chelsea said in a statement.
The club added that it had supported the player throughout the investigation while respecting the integrity of football’s anti-doping procedures.
The FA revealed that Mudryk’s positive test came during an out-of-competition sample. It was collected while he was on international duty with Ukraine in October 2024.
The sample contained a low concentration of meldonium, a cardiovascular medication that can enhance stamina and respiratory performance.
According to the FA, the case took a significant turn after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) updated its technical guidelines for detecting meldonium.
The governing body explained that if Mudryk’s sample had been tested under the current standards, the concentration found would not have triggered an adverse analytical finding.
Although the updated rules are not applied retrospectively, the FA, Mudryk and WADA agreed to settle the case. This brings the lengthy legal process to an end.
What’s Next for Mudryk?
Mudryk remains under contract at Chelsea until 2031 after joining the club from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023. A deal worth an initial £61 million.
Had the original four-year suspension remained in place, the winger would have been unable to return until late 2028.
Instead, he can now immediately resume his professional career and compete for a place in Chelsea’s squad.
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