- Alvarez banned for 10 months
- Defender admits "fatal error" in routine
- Tested positive after Europa League clash
AFPBanned Athletic Club star accepts 'fair' 10-month doping ban and explains he took partner's medication to battle hair loss after undergoing chemotherapy
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Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.
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Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The defender explained that the incident was the result of a mix-up with his partner’s medication, which was nearly identical to the hair loss treatment he had been taking since unndergoing chemotherapy. The 30-year-old admitted his mistake, appeared before the media with the support of his entire squad, and accepted the ruling. The ban is a crushing blow for Basque club, who will be without one of their most experienced defenders for most of the 2025-26 campaign, including their Champions League run. Alvarez, who previously fought and overcame testicular cancer in 2016, stressed that he never intended to gain any performance advantage.
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ALVAREZ AND ATHLETIC CLUB?
Alvarez will remain suspended from all football activities until April 2026, although he will be permitted to return to training with his teammates from February 2026. Athletic must now adapt their defensive setup without him as they balance domestic and European commitments.
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