Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk has been hit with a four-year ban from all football activities by the Football Association (FA) following a protracted anti-doping investigation, the governing body confirmed Wednesday.
The 25-year-old Ukrainian international has already been sidelined since November 2024, when he was provisionally suspended after testing positive for the prohibited substance meldonium. The final verdict, which carries the maximum penalty for such an offense, effectively threatens to keep the winger out of professional football until late 2028.
”I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided contained a banned substance,” Mudryk said in a statement released during the early stages of the probe. “This has come as a complete shock as I have never knowingly used any banned substances. I know that I have not done anything wrong.”
The case has now moved to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after Mudryk lodged a formal appeal against the FA’s decision. Legal representatives for the player are reportedly seeking a significant reduction in the sentence, mirroring the successful appeal of Paul Pogba, whose own four-year ban was recently slashed to 18 months.
The ban has been a major blow to Chelsea, who signed the winger for a staggering £88.5 million ($109 million) in 2023. The London club has since distanced itself from the player, handing his number 10 shirt to Cole Palmer last summer and barring him from training at their Cobham facility.
”It is a big pity what has happened because this guy did everything in his life to stay at the top level,” said Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin, who worked with Mudryk in Ukraine. “It is not fair what has happened to him now, and I believe his lawyers will find solutions.”
While the legal battle continues in Switzerland, Mudryk has reportedly been training with private coaches to maintain fitness. If the four-year sentence is upheld, industry insiders suggest Chelsea may explore the possibility of terminating his lucrative contract, which was originally set to run until 2031.
CAS has stated that both parties are currently “exchanging written submissions,” with a final hearing date yet to be scheduled.
