Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Alvarez has been handed a 10-month suspension after testing positive for a banned substance linked to a hair-loss medication he had been taking following cancer treatment.
The 30-year-old returned a positive test for canrenone, a diuretic that can also act as a masking agent, after Bilbao’s 3-0 Europa League semi-final loss to Manchester United in May.
Uefa confirmed that Alvarez’s explanation—that the drug entered his system through medication for alopecia—was valid and that he had no intention of doping. The Spaniard, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016, said he has been using the medicine since then as part of his recovery.
Despite accepting his defence, Uefa ruled that Alvarez committed a “non-intentional anti-doping rule violation.” His suspension, which began with a provisional ban in June, has been backdated. He will be cleared to return to training on 2 February 2026 and eligible to play again from 2 April 2026.
Alvarez, a product of Athletic Bilbao’s academy, has made 257 senior appearances for the club.
