Mykhailo Mudryk can return to football with immediate effect after the FA resolved anti-doping disciplinary proceedings against the Chelsea winger. The 25-year-old Ukraine international accepted breaking anti-doping rules and agreed to a suspension equal to the time already served, bringing his case to a close.
Mudryk had not played a competitive match since November 2024, having been provisionally suspended after returning an adverse finding for banned substance meldonium. He was formally charged by the FA in June 2025 and handed a four-year ban in January, which became public in April after he appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Had that ban remained in place, he would not have been eligible to play again until roughly December 2028.
The FA confirmed the test showed a low concentration of the prohibited cardiovascular medication, and noted that changes have since been made to the World Anti-Doping Agency technical document regarding meldonium. While those changes are not retroactive, the FA stated that had Mudryk’s test been conducted today, the concentration in the sample would not have been reported and no adverse finding would have been recorded. Mudryk, the FA, and Wada have now agreed to resolve the appeal proceedings on that basis.
Mudryk, who joined Chelsea for an initial 70 million euros in January 2023, said he was grateful to be returning after what he described as the most difficult period of his career. He maintained his position throughout: “As I have always maintained from the outset of this case, I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any banned substance.”
Chelsea welcomed the resolution, saying they had supported Mudryk throughout while respecting the integrity of the anti-doping system. The club also pointed to the advances in testing standards as an important part of the context surrounding the agreed resolution. Sources close to the winger say he is confident of returning to his best form, citing the work he put in to maintain his fitness during 20 months on the sidelines.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
