The Cameroonian goalkeeper of Ajax André Onana has been suspended for a year by UEFA for violating anti-doping rules, the Dutch club announced on its website on Friday.
“The disciplinary commission of the European Football Association (UEFA) imposed a 12-month suspension on André Onana for violating anti-doping rules following an out-of-competition test on October 30,” the club said in a statement, adding that it will present a resource. “The suspension is effective as of today and applies to all soccer activities, national and international,” the statement added.
According to the club, on October 30, Onana felt bad and took a medication originally intended for his wife. Lasimac (a diuretic and hypotensive) “does not improve performance” of an athlete, which is why Ajax did not expect “a firm suspension”. Onana had no intention of cheating. But UEFA estimates, following the applicable anti-doping rules, that an athlete has a duty at all times to ensure that no prohibited substance enters his body, ”the club said.
It is the second hard blow Ajax has received in 24 hours. On Thursday the Franco-Ivorian Sebastien haller, landed in early January at the club from West Ham for 22.5 million euros, was not enrolled in the Europa League. “It’s a huge clerical error on our part,” Ajax coach Erik ten Hag lamented on the club’s website.
Haller, the Dutch club’s most expensive signing, is not on the list of players eligible for the knockout phase of the second European competition. Ajax meet Lille in the round of 32 on February 18 and 25. Since his signing in January, the 26-year-old forward has scored two decisive goals and four passes in six Eredivisie games. Ajax announced that it will make a request to UEFA to obtain the registration of its new player.
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