UEFA accepts defender unintentionally took a banned substance in medicine for hair loss following his past cancer treatment, but enforces a strict suspension.
In a decision that blends compassion with the strict protocols of anti-doping regulation, Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Alvarez has been suspended for 10 months after testing positive for a banned substance he attributes to medication for hair loss, a lingering effect of his successful cancer battle.
The 30-year-old, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016, tested positive for canrenone following Bilbao’s Europa League semi-final defeat to Manchester United in May. UEFA’s investigation concluded that the positive test was the result of a medicine Alvarez was taking to prevent alopecia, a common side effect of his past chemotherapy treatments.
The governing body accepted the Spaniard’s defense that he “mistakenly ingested” the substance with no intent to cheat. Canrenone is a diuretic that can be used as a masking agent for other performance-enhancing drugs, but UEFA confirmed they believe Alvarez’s explanation that its presence was entirely unintentional.
Despite this, they found him guilty of a “non-intentional anti-doping rule violation.” Because Alvarez voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension in June, the ban has been backdated. He will be permitted to rejoin team training from February 2, 2026, and can play again from April 2, 2026.
The ruling is a devastating blow for a club legend who has made 257 appearances for the Basque side. It underscores the difficult balance in sports between unwavering anti-doping enforcement and the complex, personal medical histories of the athletes themselves.
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