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EPL: Chelsea's Mudryk appeals four-year doping ban to CAS

From The Punch · (4m ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is appealing a four-year doping ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
  • Mudryk received the ban from the Football Association (FA) after an "adverse finding in a routine urine test" in November 2024.
  • He has not played competitively since November 2024, and his legal team is hopeful for a return to play as early as next season.

Chelsea's Ukrainian winger, Mykhailo Mudryk, is mounting a determined fight against a severe four-year doping ban, taking his case to the prestigious Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland. This appeal represents a crucial effort to salvage a career that has been put on hold since November 2024, following an "adverse finding in a routine urine test" that led to his provisional suspension.

CAS confirms it has received an appeal by Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA, filed on 25 February 2026. The Parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled.

— CASConfirming the receipt of Mudryk's appeal against the FA's doping ban.

The Football Association (FA) formally charged Mudryk in June 2025 and subsequently imposed the maximum four-year ban, the specifics of which remain undisclosed. Typically, such bans are backdated to the commencement of the provisional suspension, meaning a potential return date around December 2028. However, Mudryk's legal team, represented by Morgan Sports Law, is actively pursuing an appeal, with sources close to the player expressing optimism about a possible return to the pitch as early as the upcoming season.

Mudryk came into contact with the cardiovascular medication meldonium, which can increase respiratory capacity and stamina, while on duty with the Ukraine national team in October 2024.

— BBC SportReporting on the potential substance involved in the adverse finding.

Mudryk's situation is particularly poignant given his high-profile transfer to Chelsea in January 2023 and his status as a key player for the Ukraine national team. The adverse finding is understood to be related to the cardiovascular medication meldonium, a substance known to enhance respiratory capacity and stamina, which he may have encountered while on duty with the national team in October 2024. While Chelsea has declined to comment, and the FA remains tight-lipped due to the ongoing case, Mudryk himself has previously expressed "complete shock" and denied knowingly using any banned substances. His dedication to staying fit, training privately and with hired goalkeepers, underscores his unwavering commitment to resuming his career.

Mudryk described his “complete shock” and said he had “never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules”.

— Mykhailo MudrykHis statement upon receiving his provisional suspension.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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