Yeray Álvarez given 10-month ban after positive test; medication for hair loss accepted as cause

Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Álvarez has been handed a 10-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance canrenone, but UEFA accepted his explanation that the substance resulted from medication taken for hair loss following cancer treatment.

The positive test came the day after Álvarez played 90 minutes in Athletic’s 3-0 home defeat to Manchester United in the first leg of last season’s Europa League semi-final. UEFA ruled the case a non-intentional anti-doping rule violation and backdated the ban, which will keep him out of competitive action until April 2, 2026. He is eligible to rejoin team training on February 2, 2026. Álvarez had accepted a voluntary suspension on June 2, 2025, a move that the governing body said was taken into account when setting the effective dates.

UEFA’s decision follows laboratory analysis that detected canrenone, a substance that is on the prohibited list and which can sometimes be associated with masking agents. Álvarez explained that he has been taking medication for alopecia since undergoing treatment for testicular cancer, diagnosed in 2016, and that the medication contained canrenone. That explanation was accepted by UEFA as establishing that the anti-doping rule violation was not intentional.

Álvarez has made 257 appearances for Athletic Bilbao since graduating from the club’s academy and has occasionally worn the captain’s armband. He has not featured for the first team this season because of the suspension. Manager Ernesto Valverde and the club will be without a regular presence in central defence for the coming months.

The positive test occurred during a high-profile European tie: Athletic Bilbao lost the two-legged semi-final 7-1 on aggregate to Manchester United. Álvarez’s full participation in the first leg meant the result stood; disciplinary proceedings addressed the off-field matter of the anti-doping violation rather than match eligibility for that fixture.

Under anti-doping regulations, athletes are strictly liable for substances found in their systems, but governing bodies may reduce sanctions when an athlete establishes that the ingestion was unintentional and was linked to legitimate medical treatment. UEFA’s acceptance of Álvarez’s account allowed for a reduction in sanction timing and the backdating of the period of ineligibility.

Athletic Bilbao said the club will work with Álvarez on his return to fitness and with medical staff to review treatment plans to ensure future compliance with anti-doping rules. The suspension will remove a senior defender from selection through the spring, and the club can reintegrate him into training from early February under the terms set by UEFA.