Following an investigation by the FA, Mudryk was handed a four-year ban. The Ukrainians appealed the decision and submitted documents to CAS earlier this year. CAS confirmed its intention to challenge the “imposed four-year disqualification period” and said the parties “are currently exchanging written submissions and a hearing has not yet been scheduled.”
He has not played for Chelsea or Ukraine since November 2024, shortly before he was contacted by the FA and informed of his test results. Madrik’s number 10 shirt was given to Cole Palmer at the start of the 2024/25 season.
Mudryk has denied the allegations, saying in a statement last year: “This came as a complete shock as I have never knowingly used a banned substance or broken any rules. I am working closely with the team to investigate how this happened. I know I have done nothing wrong and remain hopeful of returning to the pitch soon.”
The maximum sentence if convicted is four years, and it has already been 16 months since he was suspended for testing positive. Mudryk joined from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023 and has a contract until 2030.
BBC Sport claimed that Mudryk is believed to have come into contact with the cardiovascular drug meldonium, which helps improve stamina and breathing capacity, while on international duty with Ukraine. The Ukrainian Football Association did not deny the allegations, but insisted that no staff member was involved.
Meldonium has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency since 2016 and is commonly used in Eastern European countries to treat certain heart conditions. Former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova was found to have meldonium in her system after a drug test in 2016.
