Mykhailo Mudryk: Chelsea winger cleared to play again with immediate effect after doping ban resolved

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to return to play after his doping ban was resolved.

The 25-year-old has not played competitively since November 2024 after he was suspended for four years for failing a drug test, which revealed the presence of a low concentration of meldonium, a prohibited substance, two years ago.

Mudryk filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) while changes to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) procedures in the interim mean that had his failed test produced the same result now, charges would not have been brought.

The FA said: "Changes have been made… which, while not retroactive, mean that if Mr Mudryk's sample was collected today, the concentration of meldonium in the sample would not have been reported and no anti-doping rule violations would have resulted.

"Further to that development and to other circumstances of the case, the FA and Mr Mudryk have now - with the agreement of WADA - resolved the appeal proceedings.

"As a part of the agreement, Mr Mudryk accepted that he had committed the ADRVs (Anti-Doping Rule Violations) charged and acceded to a period of ineligibility equal to the time served at the date of the agreement.

"Mr Mudryk is no longer ineligible and may return to competition with immediate effect."

The Blues signed Mudryk for £88m from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023.

A Chelsea statement said of the resolution of his ban: "We welcome the acknowledgement that advances in the applicable scientific reporting standards for more reliable testing mean that, had Misha's sample been analysed under today's technical requirements, it would not have been reported as a positive test and no anti-doping rule violation would have resulted. That is an important part of the context surrounding the agreed resolution and allows everyone involved to move forward."

More to follow...