Mudryk free to play after appeal against doping ban

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is available to return to playing immediately after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) partially upheld his appeal against a four-year ban for doping.

The Ukraine international, 25, has not played a competitive match since November 2024, having been provisionally suspended by the Football Association the following month 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 Cas, who have ruled Mudryk 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 is “grateful” to be cleared to return to playing following 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 getting Mudryk back to “full fitness, back into the squad and back on to the pitch” and he will join their pre-season tour.

Mudryk added that he expresses “deep gratitude” to everyone at Chelsea and is looking forward to “the next chapter” of his career.

The FA never disclosed details of the case, because its anti-doping programme is deemed strictly confidential.

However, the Cas ruling confirms 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.

Cas 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.

Cas 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.

Cas said Mudryk and the FA have now – with the agreement of Wada – resolved the appeal proceedings, leaving him able to return.