Mykhailo Mudryk set for Chelsea return after CAS accepts doping appeal

Mykhailo Mudryk can return to competitive football immediately after the Court of Arbitration for Sport partially upheld his appeal against a four-year ban for an anti-doping violation.

The Chelsea winger, who has not played in a competitive match since November 2024, accepted that he had breached anti-doping rules and agreed to a settlement under which the time he has already spent suspended will count towards his punishment.

The ruling means the 25-year-old Ukraine international is now eligible to resume playing, bringing an end to his enforced absence from the game.

Mudryk was provisionally suspended by the Football Association in December 2024 after a “positive result” for the banned substance “meldonium” was found in one of his samples. He was subsequently handed the maximum four-year suspension.

The player challenged that decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which has now issued its final ruling. CAS accepted part of his appeal and confirmed that he may return to competition “immediately”.

The decision follows Mudryk’s admission that anti-doping regulations had been violated. As part of the agreement reached in the case, the period he has already spent away from football will be treated as the relevant period of his suspension.

Chelsea said it was looking forward to helping Mudryk regain his “full fitness and return to the line-up on the pitch”. The club also confirmed that he will officially join the squad for its pre-season tour ahead of the new campaign.

Mudryk’s suspension had kept him away from Chelsea matches since his last competitive appearance in November 2024. The temporary ban imposed by the Football Association the following month came after the positive test for meldonium, before the four-year punishment was later issued.

The CAS decision does not remove the anti-doping violation from the case. Instead, it allows the period already served by Mudryk to be considered against the suspension after his appeal was partly accepted and the settlement was approved.

For Chelsea, the ruling opens the way for the winger to begin working towards a return with the first team. The club’s statement focused on restoring his fitness and involving him in preparations for the new season, rather than setting out a specific date for his first match back.

Mudryk is now able to take part in official competitions again, subject to regaining his fitness and being selected by Chelsea. His inclusion in the club’s pre-season tour will mark his formal return to the squad after more than a year away from competitive football.