- Safiu Kehinde
Chelsea footballer, Mykalo Mudryk, has bagged a four-year ban over doping.
The Football Association (FA) slammed the Ukrainian player the lengthy suspension on Wednesday.
According to BBC, Mudryk who was charged in June 2025, was handed the maximum four‑year ban by the FA.
This was disclosed by a spokesperson for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the highest legal authority in sport.
The 25-year-old footballer’s ordeal started in December 2024 after a routine urinary test declared him positive of using a cardiovascular medication meldonium, which can increase respiratory capacity and stamina, while on duty with the Ukraine national team in October 2024.
This had left him sidelined since for the 18 months with his last appearance for Chelsea dating back to November 2024.
Meanwhile, Chelsea had since filed an appeal before the CAS for their forgotten star player who they signed from Shakhtar Donetsk for 70 million Euros.
In a statement to BBC Sport, Cas said: “Cas confirms it has received an appeal by Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA, filed on 25 February 2026. The Parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled.”
Mudryk is being defended by Morgan Sports Law, the firm who worked with former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba during his doping case while playing for Juventus, as well as boxer Tyson Fury and cyclist Chris Froome during their respective investigations.
He is understood to want to return to playing football this year and is keeping fit by training at non-league Uxbridge FC with a private coach and having hired goalkeepers to work with.
Chelsea declined to comment as they wait for the process to take its full course and the FA said it is unable to comment on an ongoing case. Mudryk’s legal team has also been contacted for comment.