London: Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been cleared to return to competitive football after the Football Association (FA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) resolved his appeal against a four-year doping suspension.

The Ukraine international had been banned after testing positive for a low concentration of meldonium, a prohibited substance, in a drug test conducted in 2024. Mudryk challenged the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

During the appeal process, WADA revised its procedures regarding meldonium testing. Under the updated rules, the concentration found in Mudryk's sample would no longer trigger an anti-doping charge.

"Changes have been made, which, while not retroactive, mean that if Mr Mudryk's sample was collected today, the concentration of meldonium in the sample would not have been reported and no anti-doping rule violations would have resulted," the FA said in a statement.

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"Further to that development and to other circumstances of the case, the FA and Mr Mudryk have now - with the agreement of WADA - resolved the appeal proceedings.

"As a part of the agreement, Mr Mudryk accepted that he had committed the ADRVs charged and acceded to a period of ineligibility equal to the time served at the date of the agreement.

"Mr Mudryk is no longer ineligible and may return to competition with immediate effect."

Mudryk welcomed the outcome, describing the suspension as the toughest phase of his professional life.

"After a long battle, the four-year ban that was imposed on me has been rescinded and I am free to resume my career with immediate effect," he wrote on Instagram.

"I am grateful that this process has reached a conclusion, that I have been cleared to return to football and that I can now look ahead to my future."

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The 25-year-old has not featured in a competitive match since November 2024. He joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023 in a deal worth £62 million ($83 million), but endured a difficult spell before the suspension. He is now set to work under Chelsea's new head coach, Xabi Alonso.

Chelsea also welcomed the resolution of the case, expressing support for the winger as he prepares to rejoin the squad.

"From the outset, this has been an extremely difficult period for Misha, both professionally and personally, and we are pleased that the matter has now reached a conclusion which allows him to return to football with immediate effect," Chelsea said in a statement.

"Misha has consistently maintained that he never knowingly or intentionally used a prohibited substance and did not know how traces of the substance entered his system.

"Throughout this process he has conducted himself professionally and with resilience during what has undoubtedly been one of the most challenging periods of his career.

"We know how much this opportunity to return means to him. Our focus now is on supporting Misha's reintegration into the squad and helping him resume his career." (AFP)