- Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to play football immediately after his four-year doping ban was completely rescinded.
- The clearance follows updated WADA technical criteria; the FA confirmed the low concentration of meldonium found in his 2024 sample would no longer trigger a violation today.
- After a 20-month absence, Mudryk is traveling to Hong Kong to immediately rejoin Chelsea’s squad for their ongoing pre-season tour.
Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to return to competitive football with immediate effect after a resolution was reached in his anti-doping disciplinary case.
The 25-year-old Ukrainian international has been sidelined since November 2024 following a analytical finding for a low concentration of meldonium.
The Football Association initially handed the winger a four-year suspension, which Mudryk subsequently appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) while maintaining his total innocence.
The resolution follows recent adjustments made to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) technical reporting criteria. The FA confirmed that under the newly adopted regulatory standards, the concentration level discovered in Mudryk’s sample would no longer trigger a violation.
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In a public statement, the FA noted: “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.”
Mykhailo Mudryk statement
Following the resolution, Mudryk expressed his profound relief, maintaining his innocence and describing the ordeal as the toughest challenge of his career:
“After a long battle, the four-year ban that was imposed on me has been rescinded and I am free to resume my career with immediate effect. I am grateful that this process has reached a conclusion, that I have been cleared to return to football and that I can now look ahead to my future. As I have always maintained from the outset of this case, I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any banned substance.”
Chelsea management has consistently stood by the player throughout the legal proceedings. The club welcomed the decision, stating that their primary focus now shifts to supporting Mudryk’s reintegration and helping him rebuild match fitness after a 20-month absence from the pitch.
Mudryk, whose last appearance for the Blues came in a UEFA Conference League tie against Heidenheim in late 2024, is now expected to travel to Hong Kong to join the rest of the Chelsea squad for their ongoing pre-season tour. He joins the team for preseason.