Cleared after 20 months: Mykhailo Mudryk back in football

A doping file that football had followed for a long time has closed with a happy ending. Chelsea's Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to make an immediate return to action after his doping ban was resolved; the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is reported to have partially upheld his appeal against his four-year doping ban.

The background to the process was also recalled. The 25-year-old had not played a competitive match since November 2024 after returning an adverse finding for the banned substance meldonium; he was provisionally suspended by the Football Association before being handed a four-year ban.

The reasoning behind the ruling has also become clear. CAS ruled that Mudryk could return "with immediate effect" after he accepted breaking anti-doping rules and reached agreement on a suspension equivalent to time served; the test was said to display "a low concentration" of the banned substance, and changes have since been made to WADA's technical document regarding meldonium.

The federation's statement also highlighted this change. The FA statement read: "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 anti-doping rule violations would have resulted."

The player's own statement was also emotional. Writing on Instagram, Mudryk said: "After a long battle, the four-year ban that was imposed on me has been rescinded and I am free to resume my career with immediate effect. 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."

The club's stance was also clear. A Chelsea statement said: "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."

What the player missed also underlines the weight of this period. Having joined from Shakhtar Donetsk for £88 million in January 2023, the player was unable to contribute to Chelsea's Conference League and Club World Cup triumphs while suspended, with Xabi Alonso's side set to play Tottenham in a friendly on Saturday.

Image: Mynet