Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is free to return to competitive football after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld his appeal against a doping ban. Mudryk has not featured for Chelsea since November 2024.
The ban stemmed from an adverse finding for meldonium, a prohibited cardiovascular medication that can increase respiratory capacity and stamina, during an out-of-competition test while on international duty with Ukraine in October 2024. The Football Association (FA) had not disclosed details of the case due to the confidential nature of its anti-doping program.
CAS confirmed that the test showed a low concentration of meldonium. The ruling noted that changes have since been made to the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) technical document regarding meldonium. While these changes are not retroactive, CAS stated that if Mudryk's test had been conducted under current guidelines, the concentration found would not have triggered an adverse finding.
With the agreement of WADA, CAS and the FA have resolved the appeal proceedings, allowing Mudryk to resume his playing career.