Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has spoken for the first time since being cleared to return to football, describing the end of his doping case as a huge relief after what he called the toughest period of his career.
The 25-year-old Ukrainian is now free to play after the Football Association (FA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reached an agreement following updates to WADA’s technical guidelines on meldonium. The ruling ends a suspension that had kept Mudryk out of action since December 2024.
In a statement, Mudryk said he was thankful the case had finally been resolved.
“After a long battle, the four-year ban that was imposed on me has been rescinded, and I am free to resume my career with immediate effect. I’m grateful the process has come to an end, I’ve been cleared to return to football, and I can now focus on the future.”
The Chelsea winger admitted the ordeal had been incredibly challenging, calling it the hardest chapter of his professional career.
Mudryk also repeated that he had never knowingly taken any banned substance and stressed that fair play and professionalism have always been at the heart of his career.
He thanked his family, friends, legal team, Chelsea, his teammates, and the club’s supporters for standing by him throughout the lengthy process.
Looking ahead, Mudryk said his full focus is on getting back to his best, working hard, and making a positive impact for Chelsea on the pitch.
The Ukrainian international is expected to link up with Chelsea’s squad in Hong Kong on Sunday as they continue their pre-season tour.
