Chelsea winger Mudryk lodges CAS appeal against four-year doping ban

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has formally appealed against the four-year suspension handed down by the Football Association (FA) for an alleged anti-doping violation, with the case now being heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The 25-year-old Ukraine international was handed the maximum sanction after testing positive for meldonium, a prohibited substance, following a national team duty in November 2024. He was provisionally suspended the following month and has not played since.

Mudryk, who joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in a high-profile transfer, has consistently denied any intentional breach of doping rules, describing the positive result as a “complete shock.”

His legal team has now filed an appeal with CAS, challenging the length of the ban. Written submissions have been exchanged, though a hearing date has yet to be scheduled.

The FA has declined to comment on the active proceedings, and Chelsea have also remained silent, citing the sensitivity of the situation.

If the suspension is upheld, Mudryk could be sidelined until 2028. However, past doping cases have seen sanctions reduced on appeal depending on the evidence and circumstances.

A final ruling from CAS is now awaited