Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Alvarez has been banned for 10 months by UEFA after being found guilty of taking a banned substance linked to hair loss.
Alvarez was provisionally sanctioned in June after testing positive for Canrenone following Athletic’s 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester United in the Europa League semi-finals on May 1.
The 30-year-old said he “unintentionally took a hair loss prevention medicine containing a banned substance” as part of treatment to prevent alopecia after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016.
Alvarez can’t play until April
A UEFA statement this morning read: “On 1 May 2025, Athletic Club player Yeray Álvarez underwent an in-competition doping control carried out by UEFA following a UEFA Europa League match.
“The analysis of the player’s sample by a WADA-accredited laboratory revealed the presence of Canrenone, which is a substance prohibited in- and out- of competition under the category S5. Diuretics and Masking Agents of the 2025 WADA Prohibited List.
“On 2 June 2025, the player accepted a voluntary provisional suspension having effect from that date.
“Following the opening of disciplinary proceedings against the player on 10 June 2025, two UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors conducted an investigation and the case was submitted to the UEFA disciplinary bodies for decision.
“At its meeting on 19 August 2025, the relevant UEFA disciplinary body decided to suspend the player for ten (10) months, starting from the date of the provisional suspension (i.e. 2 June 2025) and ending on 2 April 2026, for committing a non-intentional anti-doping rule violation.
“In accordance with Article 10.14.2 of the UEFA Anti-Doping Regulations, the player may return to train with a team or use the facilities of a club in the last two months of his period of ineligibility, i.e. as of 2 February 2026.”
