Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is set to return to competitive football immediately after reaching an agreement with the Football Association that brings his long-running doping case to an end.
The 25-year-old Ukraine international has been sidelined since November 2024 after testing positive for meldonium during an out-of-competition test while on international duty in October that year.
Although the FA initially imposed a four-year suspension, Mudryk appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas). The case has now been resolved, with the player accepting a breach of anti-doping rules and agreeing to a suspension equivalent to the period he has already served.
The FA confirmed on Friday that the disciplinary proceedings had been concluded and that Mudryk was eligible to return to football “with immediate effect.”
The resolution means the winger avoids what could have been a ban lasting until late 2028, and he is expected to join Chelsea’s pre-season tour as he begins his comeback.
In a statement, Mudryk described the past 20 months as the most difficult period of his career.
“I am grateful to be able to return to playing,” he said. “As I have always maintained from the outset of this case, I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any banned substance.”
Chelsea also welcomed the outcome, saying the club looked forward to helping the winger regain full fitness and reintegrate into the squad.
The FA disclosed that Mudryk’s sample contained a low concentration of meldonium, a prohibited cardiovascular medication that can enhance stamina and respiratory capacity.
Significantly, the governing body noted that changes have since been made to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s technical guidelines on meldonium.
According to the FA, if Mudryk’s sample had been tested under the current reporting standards, the concentration detected would not have been reported and no adverse finding would have been recorded.
Chelsea highlighted that development as an important factor in the agreed resolution, saying it provided context that would allow all parties to move forward.
Mudryk remains under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2031 after joining the club from Shakhtar Donetsk for an initial £61 million in January 2023.
During his suspension, he was barred from accessing Chelsea’s training facilities or working with club staff. Instead, he maintained his fitness through private coaching, individual training sessions and a training camp in Austria.
Chelsea are expected to assess the best route for his return, with options including reintegration into the first team, a loan move or a permanent transfer.
For now, the conclusion of the case gives Mudryk the opportunity to restart a career that had been placed on hold for nearly two years.
