Chelsea’s Mudryk cleared to play

LONDON (AP):

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to play after the English Football Association and the World Anti-Doping Agency resolved his doping case.

Mudryk, one of the most expensive players in world football, hasn’t played since late 2024. He failed a drug test while on international duty for Ukraine. The test revealed an “adverse finding” of the prohibited substance meldonium.

He was suspended for four years by the FA in January and appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in April. Changes to WADA procedures in the interim meant that, if he were tested now and produced the same result, doping charges would not be brought.

“Changes have been made ... which, while not retroactive, mean that if Mr Mudryk’s sample was collected today, the concentration of meldonium in the sample would not have been reported and no anti-doping rule violations would have resulted,” the FA said yesterday.

“Further to that development and to other circumstances of the case, the FA and Mr Mudryk have now – with the agreement of WADA – resolved the appeal proceedings.”

The FA added Mudryk admitted to the doping offence and agreed to a suspension that was time already served. He “may return to competition with immediate effect”.

Mudryk signed with Chelsea for 100 million euros (US$115 million) for eight-and-a-half years to 2031.