Athletic Club defender Yeray Álvarez suspended for 10 months for doping

UEFA has decided to sanction Athletic Club defender Yeray Álvarez with a 10-month doping ban. The player will not be allowed to return to the field of play until April 2 of next year. In its ruling, the governing body admits that an unintentional anti-doping rule violation was committed.

The Disciplinary Committee's statement begins: "On 1 May 2025, Athletic Club player Yeray Álvarez underwent an in-competition doping test conducted by UEFA following a UEFA Europa League match. Analysis of the player's sample, carried out by a WADA-accredited laboratory, revealed the presence of canrenone, a prohibited substance in both in- and out-of-competition category S5. Diuretics and masking agents on the 2025 WADA Prohibited List."

He then explains that the player himself accepted a provisional suspension starting June 2. Thanks to this move, the period of inactivity decreed by the organization will be extended until spring of next year.

However, according to Article 10.14.2 of the UEFA Anti-Doping Regulations, Yeray will be able to return to training with his teammates in February of next year. This regulation allows the player to return to the group dynamic, although he cannot yet play in official matches.

Club's response

Athletic Bilbao has responded with another statement on its official channels: "Once the investigation phase was completed, UEFA's disciplinary body issued a ruling and imposed a ten-month ban on Yeray Álvarez. In its decision, UEFA recognizes that there was no intentionality on the part of the player, considering it proven that the ingestion of the prohibited substance was due to the incorrect use of a hair loss preventative medication belonging to his partner containing said substance, without the intention of taking doping. The federation body reminds that, in accordance with current regulations, the athlete is responsible for his actions and, consequently, should have confirmed whether the medication was permitted before taking it."

The Bilbao club, after failing to sign Laporte in the summer transfer window due to a bureaucratic problem, now faces a long period until the winter transfer window, with only two first-team centre-backs available: Vivian and Paredes .