FA Hands Mudryk Four-Year Doping Ban as Chelsea Winger Takes Fight to CAS

The Football Association has handed Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk a four-year ban after finding him guilty of an anti-doping rule violation. The 25-year-old is now expected to appeal his case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), as he will look to overturn the decision.

He has already spent almost two years without playing. Notably, in October 2024, while he was on international duty at Ukraine, he underwent a routine urine test. It returned positive for meldonium, which has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency since 2016, as it enhances oxygen delivery to muscles. After a second test confirmed the results of the first, he was provisionally suspended in December 2024.

Speaking about his suspension at the time, Mudryk said:

“This has come as a complete shock, as I have never knowingly taken any prohibited substances and have not broken any rules. I know that I have not done anything wrong, and I hope to return to the pitch soon.”

However, the FA has dashed the 25-year-old Chelsea winger’s hopes, instead imposing a four-year ban. He filed his appeal earlier in the year, on February 25, with the Ukrainian enlisting Morgan Sports Law to represent him. The agency notably represented Paul Pogba during the Frenchman’s doping ban, which was reduced from four years to 18 months at the CAS. Mudryk will be hoping to walk a similar path, at the very least.

However, if the ban is stayed and backdated to the start of his provisional suspension, he will return to football in December 2028.

What Mudryk’s Ban Means for Chelsea

Mykhailo Mudryk’s ban will certainly have a massive effect on the player’s career, if Paul Pogba’s situation gives us a glimpse at what could happen to the Ukrainian’s future in the sport. However, there are also major financial implications for Chelsea, as well as his former club Shakhtar.

The Blues notably paid £61 million initially to Shakhtar Donetsk to sign Mudryk, with the fee climbing towards £88.5 million, dependent on performance bonuses. The Ukrainian club will miss out on those added payments if the 25-year-old never plays for Chelsea again, as Shakhtar’s director Sergei Palkin revealed:

“We have €30 million of bonuses in his contract. If he’s not playing, or Chelsea aren’t reaching results, we are losing €30 million. That’s a big financial impact for us.”

Chelsea have since signed his replacement in Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens, while his shirt number was given to Cole Palmer. He remains contracted to the Blues until the summer of 2031, meaning that, even if he serves the full ban, he will remain on their books until long after.