UEFA Suspends Athletic Bilbao Defender Yeray Alvarez Ten Months Doping Violation

Athletic Club defender Yeray Alvarez has been suspended for ten months by UEFA after testing positive for the banned substance canrenone following a Europa League semi-final match against Manchester United. The 30-year-old Spaniard attributed the positive test to medication for hair loss, which he has been using as part of treatment related to his 2016 testicular cancer diagnosis. UEFA ruled the violation as non-intentional but upheld the suspension, effective from June 2, 2025, until April 2, 2026, with Alvarez permitted to resume training two months prior to the ban's end. Alvarez, a long-time Athletic Bilbao player with 257 senior appearances, accepted the provisional suspension and publicly acknowledged the inadvertent doping violation. Athletic Club has expressed full support for Alvarez, highlighting the situation as a human error and a significant loss for the team in the ongoing Champions League season. The ban poses a major setback for the club, especially with key upcoming fixtures such as a December match against Paris Saint-Germain.