Full breakdown on Mykhailo Mudryk’s four-year ban – what it means for Chelsea and £80m star’s future
Mykhailo Mudryk has been handed a four-year doping ban by the English Football Association and is appealing the decision at the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS), as revealed exclusively on talkSPORT.
CAS have since confirmed the news in a statement to talkSPORT, adding the parties are “exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled”.
Mudryk made his appeal on 25 February this year and is seeking to clear his name entirely after receiving the maximum possible punishment from the FA.
talkSPORT takes a look at the next steps and the implications on both Mudryk, Chelsea and Shakhtar Donestk.
How did the case come about?
Mudryk’s last appearance for Chelsea was on November 28, 2024, when he scored in a 2-0 Europa Conference League away win at Heidenheim.
Just thee weeks later, on December 17, 2024, the 25-year-old was provisionally suspended by the FA after a routine urine test, taken while on international duty with Ukraine in November of the same year, tested positive for the banned substance meldonium.
Meldonium is a heart disease medication and can increase blood flow, potentially boosting an athlete’s stamina and aiding their recovery time.
Meldonium has been listed as a prohibited substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2016.
Tennis player Maria Sharapova also tested positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open and was originally banned for two years, only for CAS to reduce the punishment to 15 months.
Mudryk issued a statement back in December 2024 affirming his innocence.
“I can confirm that I have been notified that a sample I provided to the FA contained a banned substance,” he said. “This has come as a complete shock, as I have never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules. I am working closely with my team to investigate how this could have happened.”
Mudryk subsequently engaged Morgan Sports Law, the same firm that represented Paul Pogba on his own doping case.
And legal proceedings have to date played out under strict confidentiality in order to protect all parties. That remains the case, but the four-year ban and pending appeal at CAS were confirmed on record by the Swiss court.
If a so-called B Sample – the frozen vile taken at the same time as the A Sample – also confirms a positive for a prohibited substance then a four-year ban tends to the norm. This is because athletes have strict liability for what they ingest, whether intentional or not.
“A four-year ban is the standard for an Anti-Doping Rules Violation (ADRV),” said Brabners sports laywer Catherine Forshaw in an interview with talkSPORT.
“And then mitigation can reduce the sanction. If there is a voluntary admission of fault, this can work in an athlete’s favour.
“There are circumstances where an agreement can be reached with UK Anti-Doping, potentially WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) or the governing body based on an admission of fault. Admission can become almost like a negotiation to try and reduce the sanction. Really, the four-year suspension is the starting position and then you kind of work back from it.”
Another route is for an athlete to successfully argue contamination, a lack of testing protocol, or even prove sabotage. These are arguments can make the charges go away entirely.
Mudryk’s precise argument is not clear due to the confidentiality of the process, but it is likely to become apparent after his CAS appeal.
How long will the CAS appeal take?
The short answer is every case is different, and Mudryk’s is complex.
Firstly, both parties must agree whether the appeal will be heard by a three-strong panel or solo arbitrator. And written submissions must be received, which can potentially take several months.
It is very likely there will also be an in-person hearing prior to any final ruling.
Mudryk may also seek an expedited timeline arguing a decision is pertinent before next season begins.
Pogba, who tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone, was successful in reducing his own four-year suspension to 18 months.
Should CAS determine Mudryk did not ingest medlonium intentionally it is possible his punishment is reduced based on previous precedents.
When could Mudryk return to playing?
Mudryk is currently banned from playing for Chelsea or even training at Cobham.
The four-year suspension is usually back-dated to include any provisional suspension. That means if Mudryk is unsuccessful he is expected to return in December 2028.
A partial reduction could see Mudryk back in action as early as this summer or by the end of the year.
And if the punishment is overturned, the Ukrainian winger would be free to return to action immediately.
In the meantime, Mudryk continues to undertake a privately-funded training regime. He has rented Uxbridge FC’s 3G pitch at their Honeycroft stadium to maintain his fitness. Chelsea have played no part in this.
What are Chelsea’s options?
Chelsea declined to comment when approached by talkSPORT.
Sources say they want the legal process to run its full course before determining appropriate next steps.
The club continues to support Mudryk and are not expected to commit to a course of action until after CAS makes a ruling.
Mudryk joined Chelsea from Shakhtar in January 2023 for a fee of €70m plus a further €30m in add-ons. He is still contracted until 2031 – although FA paperwork shows an undisclosed contract amendment at some point between February 2025 and February 2026.
All parties declined to comment as to precisely what was changed or whether it is related to Mudryk’s doping case. Yet Chelsea insiders have told talkSPORT nothing major was altered.
Chelsea, as with all players, have broad contractual provisions to sack Mudryk for gross misconduct for a proven offence of this nature.
If Mudryk fails with CAS, there is no guarantee this is the course of action taken but it’s a legal option available to the club.
If Chelsea took this route, they would only need to give Mudryk 14 days written notice.
There are other legal avenues at Chelsea’s disposal as well. For example, Chelsea successfully sued former striker Adrian Mutu for £15.2m in compensation after he failed drugs test.
Yet sources warn against ‘doomsday’ scenarios just yet. After all, Chelsea are respecting the legal process and the confidentially that comes with it.
And Mudryk could ultimately turn out for Chelsea again or, when eligible to return, simply becomes a sellable asset as well.
Ultimately, at some point Chelsea must make a football decision as to whether Mudryk is still part of their plans.
After all, Mudryk struggled for starts and consistency even before the doping ban despite making 73 appearances and scoring 10 goals.
Chelsea now have Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho as left-wing options. Geovany Quenda will also arrive from Sporting, while Pedro Neto can also switch sides.
Chelsea are also in the market for a new creative attacker, potentially one capable of operating from the left. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, who can play left-wing or as a number ten, is one name appreciated.
Mudryk has therefore fallen down the pecking order meaning there is no guarantee he has a long-term future at Stamford Bridge even if he clears his name.
What’s the impact on Shakhtar?
Should Mudryk fail to play for Chelsea again that’s bad news for Shakhtar. Their CEO Sergei Palkin told talkSPORT last week the club stands to lose all of the €30m in add-ons unless Mudryk revives his Chelsea career.
“We have €30 million of bonuses in his contract. If he’s not playing, or Chelsea aren’t reaching results, we are losing €30m,” said Palkin speaking ahead of Shakhtar’s 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace in the first leg of the Europa Conference League semi-finals.
“That’s a big financial impact for us. Everybody believes this story will finish as soon as possible with a positive result and Mudryk will return to playing. Otherwise, we will be in a position to lose €30m.
“I know Mudryk as a player and a person. I believe he will return and start playing again. Everybody is waiting for the court’s [CAS] decision.
Could Mudryk speak further?
Sources say it is unlikely Mudryk will make a further statement until the CAS appeal is complete. It’s understood he has been aware of the punishment since January.
Those close to Mudryk refer back to his original statement.
Mudryk’s position remains that he did not knowingly take a banned substance and he is now hoping the matter is resolved in his favour allowing him to get back playing again next season.
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