Mykhailo Mudryk cleared to return as Chelsea confirm end of doping suspension

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk is free to resume his career with immediate effect after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Football Association confirmed the Ukrainian's suspension has been lifted.

The 25-year-old had not played since November 2024 after being provisionally suspended following an adverse doping test. Mudryk consistently maintained his innocence throughout the investigation, and after almost 20 months away from competitive football, he has now been cleared to return.

The decision represents a major boost for Chelsea and head coach Xabi Alonso ahead of the new season.

The FA confirmed that changes to WADA's Technical Document (TD2027MRL) mean Mudryk's original sample would no longer constitute an anti-doping rule violation if it were tested today.

As a result, the winger's period of ineligibility has ended with immediate effect.

Mudryk had appealed his original four-year suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport earlier this year, with specialist sports law firm Morgan Sports Law representing him throughout the process.

Chelsea expressed their relief after the lengthy legal process came to an end.

In a club statement, the Blues said they had supported Mudryk throughout the case while respecting the integrity of the anti-doping process.

The club also confirmed their focus will now be on helping the Ukrainian reintegrate into Xabi Alonso's first-team squad after nearly two years away from competitive football.

Mudryk is expected to rejoin Chelsea during their pre-season tour of Australia and south-east Asia.

Throughout his suspension, Mudryk continued training individually with private coaches in an effort to maintain his fitness.

Following confirmation that his ban had been lifted, the winger thanked those who had supported him and reiterated that he had never knowingly taken a banned substance.

He described the suspension as the toughest period of his career and said he is now looking forward to returning to professional football.

How quickly he features under Alonso remains uncertain after such a lengthy absence, but Chelsea now have another attacking option available ahead of the new campaign.

Mudryk is expected to rejoin Chelsea's first-team training immediately, with Xabi Alonso set to assess his fitness after nearly two years away from competitive action. The winger will now focus on rebuilding his match sharpness and competing for a place in Chelsea's squad ahead of the new Premier League season.