Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against a four-year doping ban imposed by the Football Association.
The 25-year-old Ukraine international has been out of action for nearly 18 months after an “adverse finding in a routine urine test” led to a provisional suspension in December 2024.
He was formally charged in June 2025 and later handed the maximum four-year ban by the FA, according to a CAS spokesperson. The football governing body has not publicly disclosed full details of the case.
In most doping cases, bans are backdated to the start of a provisional suspension, which would currently set Mudryk’s return around December 2028.
However, his legal team has now taken the case to CAS in Switzerland. Sources close to the player believe there is a possibility he could return to action as early as next season if the appeal is successful.
In a statement to BBC Sport, CAS confirmed: “CAS confirms it has received an appeal by Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA, filed on 25 February 2026. The Parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled.”
The BBC reports that Mudryk may have come into contact with meldonium, a cardiovascular drug that can enhance stamina and respiratory capacity, during international duty with Ukraine in October 2024.
Mudryk, who joined Chelsea for an initial €70 million (£61m) in January 2023, has not played competitively since November 2024.
When his provisional suspension was first announced, he expressed shock, insisting he had never knowingly used any banned substances or breached any regulations.
He is being represented by Morgan Sports Law, the same firm involved in high-profile cases including Paul Pogba, Tyson Fury, and Chris Froome.
Despite his suspension, Mudryk is said to be working towards a return, training privately with a coach and staying fit at non-league side Uxbridge FC, where he has also hired goalkeepers for practice sessions.
Chelsea have declined to comment while the process is ongoing, while the FA has also said it cannot discuss an active case. Mudryk’s legal team has similarly not issued further comment.