UEFA Suspension: Athletic Bilbao Player Tests Positive for Banned Substance in Clash Against Manchester United

Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Alvarez has failed a doping test following the first leg of the Europa League semi-final against Manchester United which ended in a 3-0 defeat for the LaLiga side.

The 30-year-old who successfully overcame testicular cancer twice in 2019 and has been undergoing treatment for hair loss for years and claims this is the source of the issue.

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"The positive result is due to the fact I mistakenly took a preventative hair loss medication that contained a prohibited substance," he explained in a message posted on Instagram.

For the time being, Yeray will be sidelined as UEFA carries out its investigation.

"The disciplinary procedure is currently under investigation and is subject to confidentiality, so I am provisionally suspended and not authorized to make any further public statements," he added.

The Laliga side has expressed unconditionally supports for their player as he undergoes the UEFA investigations that will determine his future.

"Athletic wishes to express its full support for Yeray Álvarez at this time and full confidence in the bodies in charge of resolving the case," Athletic Bilbao stressed in a statement.

"As Yeray himself has stated, the procedure is in the investigation phase and is subject to confidentiality, so the club is not authorized to make any further public statements on the matter. Once the process is concluded, Yeray Álvarez and Athletic Club will offer all pertinent and necessary explanations," the statement further read.

Yeray Alvarez is under contract until 2026, and in the worst-case scenario, the punishment could lead to a one-year suspension.