Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is free to return to football after the Football Association and the World Anti Doping Agency reached an agreement over his appeal against a doping ban.
Mudryk was banned for four years after failing a drug test in 2024. The test found a low level of meldonium, which is a banned substance.
The Ukraine international appealed the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The FA said changes to WADA procedures meant that if Mudryk’s sample had been tested under the current rules, it would not have led to any charges.
“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,” the FA said.
“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 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.”
Mudryk described the suspension as the hardest period 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“After a long battle, the four year ban that was imposed on me has been rescinded and I am free to resume my career with immediate effect,” he wrote on Instagram.
“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.”
The 25 year old has not played since November 2024. He joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023 for 62 million pounds.
Mudryk struggled to secure a regular place before his suspension. He will now hope to restart his Chelsea career under new head coach Xabi Alonso.
Chelsea also welcomed the decision.
“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,” the club said.
“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.”
