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Mykhailo Mudryk is free to play competitive football again after the Football Association resolved his anti-doping case, allowing the Chelsea winger to return with immediate effect.
The Ukraine international, 25, had been absent from competitive action since November 2024 following a provisional suspension tied to an “adverse finding” for meldonium, a banned substance that can increase respiratory capacity and stamina. The FA had imposed the maximum four-year ban, which Mudryk then appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The resolution came after Mudryk accepted that he had broken anti-doping rules and agreed to a suspension equal to the time already served. The FA confirmed the case has been settled with the agreement of the World Anti-Doping Agency.
What the Test Revealed
The adverse finding stemmed from an out-of-competition test taken during international duty with Ukraine in October 2024. The FA confirmed the sample showed a low concentration of the prohibited cardiovascular medication. The FA had previously kept the case confidential under its strict anti-doping programme protocols, disclosing full details only upon resolution.
Central to the outcome were changes made by WADA to its technical document on meldonium since the original test was conducted. The FA noted those changes are not retroactive, but stated that had the test been carried out under the current standards, the concentration detected would not have been reported and no adverse finding would have been recorded.
Mudryk and Chelsea React
Mudryk described his gratitude at being able to return after what he called “the most difficult period” of his career, also expressing “deep gratitude” to everyone at Chelsea and signaling his anticipation of the “next chapter” ahead.
Chelsea confirmed they are looking forward to supporting Mudryk’s return to full fitness and reintegration into the squad, with the winger set to join the club’s pre-season tour.
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