Real Madrid deny captain Sergio Ramos breached anti-doping rules
UEFA insist it has not covered up any positive results
Friday 23 November 2018 20:43, UK
Real Madrid have denied that Sergio Ramos failed a drug test after the 2017 Champions League final.
A report in German publication Der Spiegel - released as part of their Football Leaks series - claimed Ramos failed to declare he had taken dexamethasone ahead of the Cardiff final, in which Real beat Juventus 4-1.
However, Real released a statement on Friday, in which they denied the claims.
The statement read: "In relation to the information published by Der Spiegel referring to our captain Sergio Ramos, the club states the following:
1. Sergio Ramos has never breached the anti-doping control regulations.
2. UEFA requested timely information and closed the matter immediately, as is usual in these cases, after verification by the experts themselves of the World Anti-Doping Agency, AMA, and of UEFA itself.
3. Regarding the rest of the content of the aforementioned publication, the club does not pronounce itself before the evidence of its insubstantial nature."
Dexamethasone is a glucocorticoid on the banned list of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The substance can have anti-inflammatory effects and increase concentration.
WADA does not prohibit players taking dexamethasone before games, as long as it is declared during a doping test.
Der Spiegel claims Ramos and the Real Madrid team doctor instead registered betamethasone, another glucocorticoid on WADA´s banned list.
However, the German magazine also reports that UEFA were satisfied the mistake was an administrative error and took no disciplinary action.
UEFA have denied any wrongdoing and released a statement which read: "UEFA strongly and categorically refutes unfounded allegations it has covered up positive doping results.
"All UEFA doping control cases are conducted in full compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code.
"UEFA has informed both WADA and FIFA of all such cases, as required by the WADA Code, and UEFA has provided all detailed information, expert reports and evidence during the handling of such cases.
"It must be underlined that both WADA and FIFA have the right to appeal any decision taken by UEFA on doping control matters to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
"However, neither WADA nor FIFA did lodge any such appeal to CAS, and WADA itself has officially confirmed that everything was dealt with appropriately by UEFA and in accordance with the Code."
