Mudryk Free To Play Again As Chelsea Winger Resolves Doping

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to return to competitive football with immediate effect after resolving his long-running doping case with the Football Association.

The 25-year-old Ukraine international had been out of action since November 2024, after an out-of-competition test conducted while on international duty in October that year returned an adverse finding for the banned substance meldonium.

He was provisionally suspended before later receiving a four-year ban from the FA, which he appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

In a statement issued on Friday, the FA confirmed that disciplinary proceedings had been concluded after Mudryk accepted a breach of anti-doping regulations and agreed to a suspension equivalent to the period he had already served.

As a result, he is now eligible to resume playing immediately.

Mudryk described the episode as the most difficult period of his career, insisting he never knowingly or intentionally used any prohibited substance.

He expressed gratitude to everyone who stood by him during the process and said he was eager to begin the next chapter of his football career.

Chelsea also welcomed the decision, saying the club is looking forward to helping the winger regain full fitness, rejoin the squad and participate in its pre-season preparations.

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The Blues noted they had supported the player throughout the legal process while respecting the integrity of the anti-doping system.

The FA disclosed that Mudryk’s sample contained a low concentration of meldonium, a cardiovascular medication capable of enhancing stamina and respiratory capacity.

It added that changes made by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to its technical guidelines mean that if the same sample were tested under the current standards, it would not have been reported as an adverse finding.

According to the FA, the revised guidelines are not retroactive, but they formed part of the context that led to the agreed resolution between the governing body, Mudryk and WADA.

Chelsea highlighted the updated testing standards, saying they allowed all parties to move forward after the case reached its conclusion.

Mudryk remains under contract with Chelsea until 2031 after joining the Premier League club from Shakhtar Donetsk in a deal worth an initial £61 million.

Had the original four-year suspension remained in place, he would not have been eligible to play again until late 2028.