Mykhailo Mudryk is free to return to professional football with immediate effect after the Football Association confirmed his doping case has been resolved, ending a suspension that kept the Chelsea winger out of competitive action since November 2024.

Mudryk, 25, was provisionally suspended last year after an out-of-competition test conducted in October 2024 — while he was on international duty with Ukraine — returned an adverse finding for meldonium, a cardiovascular medication capable of increasing respiratory capacity and stamina. The FA subsequently handed him the maximum four-year ban, a decision he appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

How the case was resolved

The FA announced on Friday that proceedings have now been settled, with Mudryk accepting that he broke anti-doping rules and agreeing to serve a suspension equal to the time already elapsed. With that agreement reached — and with the backing of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) — his appeal was dropped and he was cleared to compete immediately.

Crucially, the FA noted that the test revealed only "a low concentration" of the prohibited substance. It also disclosed that Wada has since updated its technical document on meldonium — changes that are "not retroactive" but which mean that, had the same test been carried out today, "the concentration of meldonium in the sample would not have been reported" and no adverse finding would have been recorded.

Mudryk and Chelsea respond

The Ukrainian winger described his return as the end of "the most difficult period" of his career, expressing gratitude to all those who supported him through the process. He also spoke of "deep gratitude" to everyone at Chelsea and said he is eager to embrace the "next chapter" of his career.

Chelsea, for their part, welcomed the resolution warmly, stating they look forward to helping Mudryk "return to full fitness, back into the squad and back onto the pitch." The club confirmed he will join their pre-season tour as he works his way back to match sharpness.

The FA had not previously disclosed details of the case, as its anti-doping programme operates under strict confidentiality. Friday's statement marked the first time the specifics of Mudryk's situation were made public.