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Chelsea’s Mudryk Cleared to Return After Four-Year Ban

8/5/2026

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Summary

Mudryk Cleared

Chelsea manager Alonso announced that Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk is cleared to return after a four-year ban.
Mudryk, 25, was provisionally suspended in November 2024 and banned for meldonium.
He appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which cleared him to resume playing.
Alonso said it is too early to assess Mudryk’s fitness or playing time, noting dugout changes may give out-of-favor players a chance to revive Chelsea careers.

Summary

Chelsea Names Sanchez

Chelsea's pre-season roster adjustments suggest a goalkeeping reshuffle before the new Premier League season.
Robert Sanchez will start as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper despite a minor pre-season knock.
Mike Penders, 21, remains on Chelsea’s books after a Strasbourg loan where he played 52 matches, kept 12 clean sheets, reached the Conference League semi-finals and is now in Hong Kong on a short-term assignment.

Summary

Delap Returns

Chelsea manager Mauricio Alonso said 23-year-old striker Liam Delap missed 83 days through injury in his debut season.
He only completed three full 90-minute matches after returning in January and received roughly 60 minutes battling centre-backs in pre-season.
Alonso observed Delap is in a good mood, eager to regain fitness and prove his value as the new season looms.

History

Historical Context

Adrian Mutu’s 2004 cocaine positive test led Chelsea to cancel his contract, a seven-month ban and a €17 million FIFA compensation order after the club sued him. A further nine-month suspension followed a 2010 sibutramine finding. These CAS-upheld rulings created a strict anti-doping precedent that now frames clubs’ appeals, such as Chelsea’s challenge to Mykhailo Mudryk’s meldonium ban.

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Mudryk Cleared

Chelsea manager Alonso announced that Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk is cleared to return after a four-year ban.
Mudryk, 25, was provisionally suspended in November 2024 and banned for meldonium.
He appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which cleared him to resume playing.
Alonso said it is too early to assess Mudryk’s fitness or playing time, noting dugout changes may give out-of-favor players a chance to revive Chelsea careers.

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