Rule changes slash Mudryk’s ban, paving early Chelsea return

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to return for the 2026/27 season, ending a four‑year doping ban after serving less than two years, even though he admitted the violation. The FA announced the decision officially on Tuesday, sparking debate over the impact of recent rule changes.

The FA confirmed that Mudryk, a former Arsenal transfer target, is eligible to play for Chelsea with immediate effect. The announcement was accompanied by a photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images.

Mudryk’s suspension was provisionally imposed in December 2024 and came into full effect in May 2025, meaning he had already served a year and a half of the four‑year ban.

His last appearance for Chelsea came in November 2024, before the ban was enforced.

The FA stated that Mudryk has accepted responsibility for the anti‑doping violation and agreed that the period of ineligibility already served is satisfactory. A photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images illustrated this statement.

Rule changes mean that, if the offending sample had been taken today, the concentration of meldonium would not have triggered a violation. This detail was highlighted alongside a photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images.

Although the rule changes are not retroactive, the FA took them into account together with other unspecified circumstances and agreed with the World Anti‑Doping Agency that the ban already served was sufficient. The announcement also featured a photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images.

The FA maintains that Mudryk committed a doping violation, but it has reduced his ban and allowed his return because of the additional factors considered. Before his suspension, Mudryk made 73 appearances for Chelsea and scored 10 goals; he still has five years remaining on the long‑term contract he signed in 2023.

Arsenal, who had been linked with Mudryk, instead signed Leandro Trossard that month, a player who later won the Premier League and recouped most of his transfer fee with a move to Besiktas.