FA bans Chelsea star for 4 years

The FA has officially handed Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk a devastating four-year ban following a gruelling, 18-month legal battle over anti-doping violations. 

The 25-year-old was initially hit with a provisional suspension in December 2024 and was formally charged in June 2025, completely sidelining him from professional football since his final appearance in November 2024. 

Mudryk, who joined the West London club in the winter of 2023 for a fee potentially rising to £89 million on an eight-and-a-half-year contract, was subsequently barred from Chelsea's Cobham training base, famously forcing him to travel alone to Wrocław to watch his teammates secure the 2024/2025 UEFA Conference League title against Real Betis last May. 

Refusing to accept the career-altering punishment, Mudryk's legal representatives at Morgan Sports Law took up a fight, filing a formal appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on February 25, 2026, with both parties currently exchanging written submissions ahead of a hearing date.

Mudryk had a positive test for meldonium, a banned cardiovascular medication known to artificially increase respiratory capacity and stamina. 

According to the FA's official findings, he breached Regulations 3 and 4 of their Anti-Doping Regulations regarding the presence and use of a prohibited substance, allegedly coming into contact with the drug while on duty with the Ukraine national team in October 2024. 

From the outset, Mudryk has vehemently maintained his innocence, stating the failed routine urine test came as a "complete shock" and insisting he had "never knowingly used any banned substances". 

If CAS upholds the FA's decision, the suspension will prove catastrophic for his career trajectory, effectively ruling him out of professional football until late 2028. 

While he awaits the final verdict from the Switzerland-based court, the exiled forward is currently forced to maintain his physical fitness by training with a private coach and hired goalkeepers at non-league outfit Uxbridge FC.