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Chelsea winger, Mykhailo Mudryk can now return immediately to playing football after his four-year ban for doping was lifted, the English FA has confirmed.
The Ukrainian, 25, last played for Chelsea in November 2024 after being provisionally suspended in December 2024 following an adverse finding in a routine urine test for meldonium.
Mudryk was charged by the FA with an anti-doping rule violation in June 2025 and was subsequently handed a four-year ban.
He appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with CAS confirming receipt of the appeal on February 25, 2026.
However, an agreement has now been reached between the FA, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Mudryk to resolve the case.
The FA said that under the settlement Mudryk accepted that he committed an anti-doping rule violation but will serve a period of ineligibility equal to the time he has already served.
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.”
In a statement posted on Instagram on Friday, Mudryk expressed relief at the outcome.
The winger said, “After a long battle, the four-year ban that was imposed on me has been rescinded and I am free to resume my career with immediate effect.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.
“This has been the most difficult period of my career. As I have always maintained from the outset of this case, I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any banned substance
“My commitment to competing fairly and representing my club and country with professionalism and integrity has always been important to me.”
The winger, who joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk on an eight-year contract for £88m in January 2023, is now expected to join the club on their pre-season tour.
He said, “My focus now is on returning to football, working hard every day, and making a positive contribution on the pitch.”
Mudryk thanked his family and friends for their support throughout what he described as the toughest period of his career.
