Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Alvarez has been handed a 10-month suspension after testing positive for a banned substance contained in medication used to treat hair loss following his cancer recovery.
The 30-year-old tested positive for canrenone, a diuretic that can also act as a masking agent, after Bilbao’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Europa League semi-finals in May.
UEFA accepted Alvarez’s defence that the positive test was the result of a preventative alopecia medication he had been taking since his treatment for testicular cancer in 2016.
While acknowledging he had no intention of gaining a sporting advantage, the governing body ruled that the case constituted a “non-intentional anti-doping rule violation.”
The Spaniard accepted a provisional suspension in June, meaning his ban has been backdated. He will be permitted to return to training from 2 February 2026 and will be eligible to play again from 2 April 2026.
Alvarez has made 257 appearances for Bilbao since graduating from their academy, including featuring in 29 games last season, and remains a key figure at San Mames.
