Chelsea’s Mudryk cleared to play after nearly two-year doping saga

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to return to football immediately after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld his appeal against a four-year doping ban, ending a case that has kept him out of competitive action since late 2024.

According to BBC Sport, the 25-year-old Ukraine international has not played a competitive match since November 2024 after being provisionally suspended by the Football Association over an adverse test for the banned substance meldonium while on international duty.

Although he was later handed the maximum four-year ban, CAS ruled that he could return immediately after accepting a breach of anti-doping rules and agreeing to a suspension equal to the time already served.

In a significant development, CAS said Mudryk’s sample contained a low concentration of meldonium and noted that subsequent changes to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) technical reporting standards mean that if the same sample were tested today, it would not be reported as a positive test.

“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, as quoted by BBC Sport.

The FA and Mudryk, with WADA’s agreement, subsequently resolved the appeal proceedings, allowing the winger to resume his career with immediate effect.

Chelsea welcomed the decision, saying the club is looking forward to reintegrating Mudryk into the squad.

“We look forward to getting Misha back to full fitness, back into the squad and back on to the pitch,” Chelsea said in a statement.

Mudryk is expected to join Chelsea’s pre-season tour in Hong Kong as he begins his long-awaited return under manager Xabi Alonso.

The Ukrainian has consistently maintained throughout the process that he never knowingly or intentionally used a prohibited substance and did not know how traces of meldonium entered his system.