Through your account Twitter, Ajax revealed the harsh punishment that has been imposed on André Onana for a case of doping. It happens that the UEFA disciplinary body opened a file for him for having found furosemide on October 30, 2020.
“The disciplinary body of the European football federation, UEFA, has imposed a 12-month suspension on André Onana for a doping offense,” the statement posted on the aforementioned social network reads.
Immediately, the general director of Ajax, Edwin van der Sar, spoke about what happened. “We explicitly renounce performance-enhancing drugs. Obviously we stand for clean sport. This is a terrible setback for Andre himself, but also for us as a club.”
Van der Sar believes in the goalkeeper’s innocence. “Andre is a great goalkeeper, who has proven his worth for Ajax over the years and is very popular with the fans. We were expecting a conditional suspension or a suspension much shorter than these 12 months, because you could say that he did not intend to strengthen your body and thus improve its performance, “he added.
What is furosemide for? This substance is a diuretic used to treat heart failure, hypertension and edema. Likewise, it conceals the use of doping agents, among others, and that is why it is prohibited.
As Ajax clarifies, Onana took this drug by mistake because she was in poor health. Unknowingly, he took Lasimac, a drug that his wife had been prescribed.
“Onana’s confusion led to his wife’s medication being mistakenly taken, prompting UEFA to take this action against the goalkeeper. Furthermore, the disciplinary body of the football association has stated that Onana had no intention of cheating “, they mention.
“However, the European Football Association believes, based on applicable anti-doping rules, that an athlete has a duty at all times to ensure that no prohibited substance enters the body,” they conclude.
UEFA has ordered the suspension of the 24-year-old Cameroonian goalkeeper to take effect from this Friday, February 5. It will be applied to all football activities, both national and international.
What goalkeepers will be an alternative to replace André Onana? Among the squad led by Erik Ten Haag are the World Cup with the Netherlands in South Africa 2010, Maarten Stekelenburg, 38, as well as the young goalkeepers Kjeli Scherpen and Dominik Kotarski, 21 and 20 years old respectively.