Earlier this week we reported on Mykhailo Mudryk's appeal and the wait for a hearing. The picture has now changed. Mudryk says the four-year ban imposed on him has been rescinded, and he is free to resume his career with immediate effect.

Mudryk's return after the anti-doping case

Mudryk said: "After a long battle, the four-year ban that was imposed on me has been rescinded and I am free to resume my career with immediate effect." He added: "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 substance involved was meldonium, a prohibited substance that can increase respiratory capacity and stamina. Mudryk has not represented Chelsea since November 2024, so the news gives the club back a player they have not used for a long time.

Chelsea said: "We are pleased that the matter has now reached a conclusion which allows him to return to football with immediate effect." The club also said: "We know how much this opportunity to return means to him. Our focus now is on supporting Misha’s reintegration into the squad and helping him resume his career."

Chelsea's plan for the squad

There is still a distinction worth keeping straight. The ban has been rescinded, and Mudryk says he can play again immediately, but that is not the same as a public statement of formal exoneration. The wording from Chelsea and Mudryk is about return and reintegration, not a declaration that every question has been erased.

The football side is clearer. Mudryk joined Chelsea in January 2023 from Shakhtar Donetsk in a deal worth €70million (£58.7m) and remains under contract until 2031. He has scored 10 goals in 73 appearances for the club, which is enough to show why Chelsea would want him available again even after a long absence.

Chelsea finished the 2025 Premier League season with 52 points, a reminder that this return is about adding options, not joining a title charge. The club's next job is straightforward enough: get Mudryk back into the squad quickly and see how he fits after nearly eight months out of Chelsea action.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →