Chelsea's Mudryk free to play after appeal against doping ban

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Mykhailo Mudryk joined Chelsea for an initial 70m euros (£61m) in January 2023

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is available to return to playing immediately after resolving his doping case with the Football Association.

The Ukraine international, 25, has not played a competitive match since November 2024, having been provisionally suspended after returning an "adverse finding" for banned substance meldonium.

He was subsequently given the maximum four-year ban by the FA but appealed against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

The FA said anti-doping disciplinary proceedings have now been resolved with Mudryk and he can return to competition "with immediate effect" after he accepted breaking anti-doping rules and agreed to a suspension equal to the time already served.

Mudryk said he was "grateful" to able to return to playing after "the most difficult period" of his career.

He added: "As I have always maintained from the outset of this case, I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any banned substance."

Chelsea said they are looking forward to helping Mudyk "return to full fitness, back into the squad and back onto the pitch" and he will join the club's pre-season tour.

Mudryk said he expresses "deep gratitude" to everyone at Chelsea and is looking forward to the "next chapter" of his career.

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Published8 hours agoThe FA never previously disclosed details of the case, because their anti-doping programme is deemed strictly confidential.

However, their statement on Friday confirmed Mudryk returned an adverse finding for meldonium, which can increase respiratory capacity and stamina, in an out-of-competition test on international duty with Ukraine in October 2024.

He was charged by the FA in June 2025 and given a four-year suspension in January, which came to light in April after he appealed against the ban to Cas.

The FA said the test showed "a low concentration" of the prohibited cardiovascular medication.

It added that changes have since been made to the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) technical document regarding meldonium.

The FA said the changes are "not retroactive" but noted that had Mudryk's test been conducted today then "the concentration of meldonium in the sample would not have been reported" and no adverse finding would have been recorded.

In a separate case resolution agreement to his Cas appeal, Mudryk and the FA have now, with the agreement of Wada, resolved the proceedings, leaving him able to return to all forms of competition.

Mudryk remains contracted with Chelsea until 2031, having signed a long deal when he joined for £61m from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2022, as part of the club's plan to amortise the cost of transfers and contracts.

Amortisation means spreading costs out over many years in order to reduce them in each year of a business' accounts.

Had Mudryk's four-year ban remained in place, he would have been unable to play again until roughly December 2028.

Chelsea said the club are "pleased that the matter has now reached a conclusion which allows him to return to football with immediate effect".

They added: "We have always supported Misha throughout this process while fully respecting the integrity of the anti-doping system and the legal process."

The Blues also drew attention to advances in testing that mean "no anti-doping rule violation would have resulted" from Mudryk's sample under current guidelines, saying it is "an important part of the context surrounding the agreed resolution and allows everyone involved to move forward".

Chelsea reporterSources close to Mudryk say he is confident of returning to his best form, citing the work he has put in to maintain his fitness during 20 months on the sidelines.

They also point to the support Chelsea have provided throughout the process, while adhering to the restrictions imposed by his suspension and respecting the legal proceedings.

The Ukrainian received backing from the club from afar, while also being given the space to navigate what those close to him describe as an extremely difficult period.

Under the terms of the suspension, Mudryk was unable to access Chelsea's training ground or work with club staff. His only known public interaction with members of the first-team squad came at the Conference League final celebrations in May 2025.

To maintain his fitness, Mudryk paid for private coaching and hired goalkeepers for individual sessions while using a pitch at non-league club Uxbridge FC in London. He also organised a training camp in Austria, with videos from those sessions showing him scoring goals and taking part in attacking drills.

However, those close to Mudryk acknowledge there is no substitute for training and competing alongside elite players on a daily basis. Mudryk is understood to be realistic about the challenge ahead, but believes he can overcome it.

Chelsea are prepared to provide a pathway back into professional football. Whether that involves reintegration into the first team, a loan move - potentially involving sister club Strasbourg - or a permanent transfer remains to be seen.

Whatever the outcome, the resolution of the case represents a significant moment for Mudryk. He now has the opportunity to resume his career and determine what the next chapter looks like.

Having joined Chelsea in one of the most closely watched transfer sagas of 2023, his story at Stamford Bridge is not over yet.

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