Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is free to resume competitive football with immediate effect after resolving his doping case with the Football Association (FA), ending a suspension that kept him out of action for nearly two years.
The 25-year-old Ukraine international had not featured in a competitive match since November 2024 after being provisionally suspended following an adverse finding for the banned substance meldonium during an out-of-competition test while on international duty in October 2024.
Mudryk was initially handed a four-year ban by the FA but appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The case has now been settled after the player admitted to breaching anti-doping regulations and accepted a suspension equivalent to the period he had already served.
In a statement, the FA confirmed that the disciplinary proceedings had been concluded, allowing Mudryk to return to competition immediately.
The governing body also revealed that the sample contained a low concentration of meldonium, a prohibited cardiovascular medication that can enhance respiratory capacity and endurance.
The FA noted that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has since amended its technical guidance regarding meldonium. Under the current thresholds, the concentration detected in Mudryk’s sample would not have been reported as an adverse finding. However, the changes are not applied retrospectively.
Reacting to the decision, Mudryk expressed relief after what he described as the most difficult period of his career.
“I am grateful to be able to return to playing after the most difficult period of my career,” he said. “As I have always maintained from the outset of this case, I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any banned substance.”
Chelsea welcomed the outcome, saying the club looks forward to helping the winger regain full fitness and reintegrate into the first-team squad. The Premier League club also confirmed that Mudryk will join the team’s pre-season tour.
The Ukrainian added that he was deeply grateful to everyone at Chelsea for their support and is excited to begin the next chapter of his career.
Mudryk remains under contract with Chelsea until 2031 after joining from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 in a deal initially worth £61 million.
Had the original four-year suspension remained in place, he would not have been eligible to return to football until late 2028. Instead, the settlement brings an immediate end to the case and clears the winger to resume his playing career.
