Mykhailo Mudryk free to return for Chelsea
Chelsea star Mykhailo Mudryk is now free to play for the club again, the FA have announced. The Ukrainian wideman was provisionally banned in December 2024 after testing positive for a banned substance. He has not played for the club since.
But the FA have now confirmed that his ban has been lifted due to changes in the WADA guidlines.
FA statement details the case
A statement from the FA read:
" The FA can confirm that the anti-doping disciplinary proceedings against Mykhailo Mudryk were resolved with the agreement of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on 30 July 2026. In the context of that agreement, Mr Mudryk has accepted his commission of Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) and accepted a period of ineligibility. "On 22 October 2024, Mr Mudryk was subject to an out-of-competition doping control, which revealed the presence of a low concentration of meldonium, a prohibited substance. The FA notified Mr Mudryk of that finding on 4 December 2024 and imposed a provisional suspension. On 23 May 2025, The FA charged Mr Mudryk with ADRVs in breach of Regulations 3 and 4 of its 2024 Anti-Doping Regulations. "On 7 to 9 January 2026, a hearing took place before an independent Regulatory Commission. The Regulatory Commission found that Mr Mudryk had committed the charged ADRVs and imposed a four-year period of ineligibility. Subsequently, Mr Mudryk filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. "Since then, changes have been made to WADA Technical Document (TD2027MRL) 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 ADRVs 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 in accordance with Article 10.8.2 of the World Anti-Doping Code and Regulation 90 of the 2024 Anti-Doping Regulations. As a part of the agreement, Mr Mudryk accepted that he had committed the 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."
Chelsea respond to the announcement
A Chelsea statement added:
"Chelsea FC acknowledges today's announcement by The Football Association confirming the resolution of the anti-doping proceedings involving Mykhailo Mudryk. "From the outset, this has been an extremely difficult period for Misha, both professionally and personally, and we are pleased that the matter has now reached a conclusion which allows him to return to football with immediate effect. "We have always supported Misha throughout this process while fully respecting the integrity of the anti-doping system and the legal process. "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. "Misha has consistently maintained that he never knowingly or intentionally used a prohibited substance and did not know how traces of the substance entered his system. Throughout this process he has conducted himself professionally and with resilience during what has undoubtedly been one of the most challenging periods of his career. "We know how much this opportunity to return means to him. Our focus now is on supporting Misha’s reintegration into the squad and helping him resume his career. "Chelsea FC remains fully committed to the highest standards of sporting integrity and compliance with all anti-doping regulations. Everyone at the Club now looks forward to helping Misha return to full fitness, back into the squad and back onto the pitch."
Mudryk’s Chelsea record
Mudryk, 25, joined Chelsea for £62 million in January 2023, the Blues having beaten Premier League rivals Arsenal to his signature. He endured a tough debut campaign, failing to score in 17 appearances. Things were slightly better the following campaign, as Mudryk netted seven times in 41 appearances, with a further three goals the next season before being banned.
Mudryk signed an eight-and-a-half year deal with Chelsea, that deal set to run until 2031.
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