Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has escalated his fight against a Football Association drugs case by appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The Ukrainian international has not featured for club or country for nearly 18 months after an “adverse finding in a routine urine test” triggered a provisional suspension in December 2024.
The Football Association formally charged the player in June 2025 but has yet to confirm whether a full ban has been issued or if the provisional suspension remains in place.
“Cas confirms it has received an appeal by Mykhailo Mudryk against the FA, filed on 25 February 2026,” the Switzerland-based court told BBC Sport.
“The parties are currently exchanging written submissions, and a hearing is yet to be scheduled.”
The 25-year-old is understood to have come into contact with the cardiovascular drug meldonium while on international duty with the Ukraine national football team in October 2024. The substance can boost stamina and respiratory capacity and is banned in competition.
Mudryk has not played a competitive match since November 2024. In his only public statement after the suspension began, he spoke of his “complete shock” and insisted he had “never knowingly used any banned substances or broken any rules”.
The winger joined Chelsea in January 2023 for an initial €70m and remains determined to return to football this year.
He is being represented by Morgan Sports Law, the legal team that handled cases involving Paul Pogba during his Juventus doping investigation, boxer Tyson Fury and cyclist Chris Froome.
Mudryk has been keeping fit by training at Uxbridge FC with a private coach and hired goalkeepers.
