Overview
- UEFA provisionally suspended Álvarez on July 10 after his sample from the May 1 Europa League semifinal against Manchester United tested positive.
- Álvarez maintains that he unwittingly ingested a banned substance through a hair-loss medication he has used since overcoming testicular cancer.
- Athletic Club has issued a public statement calling the incident a human error and pledged full backing as the defender prepares his case.
- Under UEFA’s anti-doping regulations, first offenses carry potential bans of up to four years, a sanction that can derail a player’s career.
- This episode recalls past Athletic cases like Carlos Gurpegui’s 2002 suspension and underscores the uncompromising nature of strict liability enforcement.