Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Alvarez has been suspended for 10 months after testing positive for a banned substance in the aftermath of a Europa League match against Manchester United last season, UEFA confirmed on Monday.
According to the European football governing body, an analysis of Alvarez’s sample taken after the May fixture revealed the presence of Canrenone, a substance prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
UEFA noted that the 30-year-old did not intentionally take the drug, stating that Alvarez explained it entered his system through medication he was using to treat hair loss following his battle with testicular cancer. Despite the mitigating circumstances, the defender was issued a 10-month suspension, which has been backdated to June when he voluntarily accepted a provisional ban.
The ruling means Alvarez will be cleared to resume playing by April next year, though he will be permitted to rejoin training sessions with his teammates two months earlier.
Alvarez’s health struggles have been widely documented. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016, returned to football in 2017 after treatment, but suffered a relapse later that same year before staging another comeback in 2018.
His positive test came after Athletic Bilbao’s 3-0 loss at home to Manchester United in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final on May 1. The suspension marks a significant setback for the Basque club as they prepare for their Champions League campaign. The situation is further compounded by the collapse of a late transfer window deal that would have seen Spain international Aymeric Laporte return to the club from Al-Nassr.
What you should know
Yeray Alvarez, who has twice battled testicular cancer, has been banned for 10 months after testing positive for a prohibited substance, which UEFA accepted was ingested unintentionally through medication.
His absence is a blow to Athletic Bilbao, especially after their failed bid to re-sign Aymeric Laporte.
