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Four-year ban challenged
Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has appealed a four-year doping ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS), according to multiple reports describing how the case moved from the Football Association (FA) to CAS.
“condamné en juin 2025 à 4 ans de suspension”
The French outlet Ouest-France says Mudryk was “condamné en juin 2025 à 4 ans de suspension” for violating anti-doping rules and that he “a saisi le TAS, comme l’a confirmé l’instance ce mercredi 29 avril.”
ESPN likewise reports that Mudryk “has been handed a four-year ban” and that he lodged an appeal to CAS, citing a CAS statement: “CAS confirms it has received an appeal by Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA.”
The Orange Sports report adds that Mudryk was “Suspendu à titre conservatoire par la FA … depuis novembre 2024 après un test positif au méldonium” and that the suspension would be “active jusqu’en décembre 2028.”
The Killeen Daily Herald (AP) frames the risk in sporting terms, saying the court confirmed Mudryk was “in the process of appealing against the four-year ban imposed by the English Football Association,” and that he “risks missing the next European Championship if he loses his appeal.”
Across the coverage, CAS is described as having received the appeal and as exchanging written submissions, with the TAS statement quoted as: “The parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled.”
Timeline from urine test
The doping case against Mudryk is described as beginning with an adverse finding in a routine urine test and then unfolding through provisional suspension, formal charging, and an appeal filing.
The Orange Sports report says Mudryk was provisionally suspended “depuis novembre 2024” after a “test positif au méldonium,” and that he was “écarté des terrains à titre conservatoire depuis décembre 2024.”
Ouest-France similarly states that Mudryk “n’a plus joué pour les Blues depuis qu’un contrôle urinaire a détecté la présence d’une substance interdite en décembre 2024, selon la FA.”
The Killeen Daily Herald (AP) adds that “Mudryk was provisionally suspended by the FA in December 2024 after an adverse finding in a routine urine test,” and it notes that there had been “no update on the case since the FA said last June” that Mudryk had been formally charged.
In the same AP account, the FA’s charge is quoted as “Anti-Doping Rule Violations alleging the presence and/or use of a prohibited substance,” while the exact substance is described as “not been confirmed officially.”
Several reports converge on meldonium as the substance at the center of the case: the Orange Sports report says the positive test was for “le méldonium,” while the streamlinefeed.co.ke article claims Mudryk provided an A-sample that tested positive for “meldonium” in October 2024.
Statements and denials
Mudryk’s public position in the doping case is presented as a denial of wrongdoing and a claim that the positive result came as a shock.
“« choc total »”
The Orange Sports report says that in his “seule déclaration publique” at the start of the provisional suspension, Mudryk had “évoqué son « choc total »” and asserted he had “« jamais sciemment utilisé de substances interdites ni enfreint de règles ».”
The Wimbledon Guardian reproduces the statement attributed to Mudryk at the time of suspension, saying the positive sample had come as “a complete shock” and that he had “not done anything wrong,” while Chelsea added the player had “never knowingly used any banned substances”.
ESPN similarly quotes Mudryk’s statement as “a complete shock” and “not done anything wrong,” and it quotes Chelsea’s addition that he had “never knowingly used any banned substances”.
The Killeen Daily Herald (AP) says Mudryk told reporters in December 2024 that he had “ not done anything wrong ” after it was confirmed he had given a drug-test sample that contained a banned substance, and it adds that he “has not commented on the case since.”
The New York Times account includes Mudryk’s quoted Instagram statement: “This has come as a complete shock, as I have never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules.”
CAS process and what’s next
The CAS process is described as active but not yet scheduled for a hearing, with parties exchanging written submissions after the appeal was filed.
The Orange Sports report says “Mudryk a fait appel de la décision auprès du TAS” and quotes a TAS statement to the BBC Sport: “Le TAS confirme avoir reçu un appel de Mykhailo Mudryk contre la FA, déposé le 25 février 2026. Les parties échangent actuellement des mémoires écrits, et aucune audience n'a encore été programmée.”
The Wimbledon Guardian similarly quotes the CAS statement: “CAS confirms it has received an appeal by Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA.” and adds that “The parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled.”
ESPN also repeats the CAS statement and says that “The parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled,” while it notes that the FA and Chelsea “declined to comment when contacted by ESPN.”
The Killeen Daily Herald (AP) says the court confirmed Mudryk was in the process of appealing and that “The sides are exchanging written submissions and a hearing has not yet been scheduled, the court said.”
Looking ahead, the Killeen Daily Herald (AP) ties the stakes to the next European Championship, saying the next European Championship will be “in the summer of 2028, co-hosted by Britain and Ireland,” and that Mudryk “risks missing” it if he loses.
Different outlets, different emphasis
While the core facts of an FA four-year ban and a CAS appeal are consistent, the outlets differ in what they emphasize about the substance, the procedural details, and the broader implications.
“active jusqu’en décembre 2028”
The Orange Sports report focuses on the meldonium test and the provisional suspension window, saying the FA suspended Mudryk “depuis novembre 2024” and that the four-year sanction would be “active jusqu’en décembre 2028,” while it also notes that Chelsea refused comment “dans l'attente que l'affaire suive son cours.”
The Killeen Daily Herald (AP) emphasizes uncertainty around the substance by stating that “The exact substance involved has not been confirmed officially,” even as it describes the ban as four years and the appeal as underway.
ESPN, by contrast, centers the CAS statement and the anti-doping framework, quoting Regulation 77 and describing how “a four-year ban would result if the violation related to a non-specified substance,” while it also repeats the “complete shock” and “never knowingly used any banned substances” quotes.
The New York Times account provides a longer narrative of the case’s unfolding, including that Mudryk’s “most recent appearance” was a “2-0 win over Heidenheim” on “November 28, 2024,” and it says that the Athletic was told by multiple sources that Mudryk “tested positive for meldonium following international duty with Ukraine in November 2024.”
Streamlinefeed.co.ke goes further into secrecy and claims “the Court of Arbitration for Sport has confirmed receipt of the appeal filed in February 2026,” and it asserts that Mudryk provided an A-sample that tested positive for “meldonium” “in October 2024.”
