The reason why an Athletic Bilbao star failed a drugs test that resulted in a 10-month doping ban has been revealed.
Yeray Alvarez, 30, will be out of action for the foreseeable future after he tested positive for canrenone the day after his side lost 3-0 against Manchester United in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final last season.
The drug is banned, and can sometimes be used as a masking agent – though Alvarez’s defence, which has been accepted by UEFA, is a heartbreaking one.
The defender had been taking medicine to prevent hairloss after undergoing treatment for cancer, and that medicine contained canrenone.
Alvarez was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016, and said he had been taking the medicine, which is for alopecia, ever since.
He made it clear in his explanation that the drug had been ingested due to the medication he was taking, and, as a result, his 10-month ban has been backdated.
An Athletic Bilbao star has failed a drugs test and been handed a 10-month ban – but the heartbreaking reason why has been revealed
He tested positive for canrenone after his side’s 3-0 loss to Manchester United – but was taking medication due to his cancer treatment
This means he will serve a ban until April 2 2026, and is able to rejoin training on February 2 2026.
He had accepted a voluntary suspension on June 2, which has resulted in the allowance of a return to action earlier than he would have been granted otherwise.
Alvarez played 90 minutes in the game, which was the first of two legs in a tie that United won 7-1 on aggregate.
He is an ever-present in Bilbao’s defence, having made 257 appearances for the club to date since graduating their academy.
He is yet to play this season due to the suspension, but will hope to return to action towards the back end of the campaign after being found guilty of committing a non-intentional anti-doping rule violation.
Alvarez has occasionally captained the side and is a fan favourite, with his absence set to be a big blow for manager Ernesto Valverde.
