UEFA Suspends Yeray Álvarez for 10 Months After Doping

Nyon, Switzerland (Sep 8) - UEFA has handed a 10-month ban to Athletic Bilbao player Yeray Álvarez. This decision comes in the wake of the Spanish defender failing a banned substance test, attributed to taking medication aimed at preventing hair loss resulting from his cancer treatment.

The incident occurred after a Europa League semifinal match against Manchester United back in May. Álvarez accepted a voluntary provisional suspension soon after, in early June, a statement from UEFA confirmed.

Following a thorough investigation led by UEFA's ethics and disciplinary department, Álvarez's suspension is set to last until April 2 of next year, impacting all competitions.

Álvarez, who is 30 and plays center back, previously took a hiatus from soccer in 2017 for several months to undergo treatment for testicular cancer. Since his return, he started on medication to combat alopecia. Álvarez has claimed that his positive test result was due to "involuntarily taking a medicine for hair loss, which contained a banned substance." UEFA identified this substance as Canrenone.

While this setback unfolds, Athletic Club remains poised to compete in the Champions League this season, having secured a fourth-place finish in the Spanish league.

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