Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 5y

Real Madrid deny claim Sergio Ramos failed a doping test after 2017 Champions League final

Real Madrid have denied a claim that club captain Sergio Ramos failed a doping test after the 2017 Champions League final, with UEFA having accepted that an administrative error involving a senior club doctor who soon left the club was to blame.

The article published on Der Spiegel's website, which also says that the proper procedures were not followed when Ramos was asked to take a test following a league game in April 2018, claimed that after the 2017 final win over Juventus in Cardiff, Ramos gave a urine sample which contained traces of WADA-prohibited substance dexamethasone -- a steroid often used to treat inflammation -- but no disciplinary action was ever taken.

The report adds, however, the club noted that Ramos had received an injection of a different medication, Celestone Chronodose, on the day before the final. Like dexamethasone, Celestone Chronodose -- better known as betamethasone -- is also used as an anti-inflammatory and is also a banned substance by WADA.

The European champions quickly responded on Friday with a statement which said the case mentioned in Der Spiegel's story was "immediately closed" by the relevant authorities after "specific information" was provided, while also calling the reports "insubstantial."

The statement read: "With regards to the reports published by Der Spiegel in relation to our captain, Sergio Ramos, the club wishes to express the following:

"1. Sergio Ramos has never breached anti-doping regulations. 2. UEFA requested specific information and immediately closed the case referred to, as is customary in such instances, following tests carried out by experts from the World Anti-Doping Association [WADA] and UEFA itself. 3. In terms of the rest of the content published by the aforementioned publication, the club will not be making any comment, given the clearly insubstantial nature of the reports."

Der Spiegel's report mentions further communication between Ramos, Madrid and UEFA in the days following the 2017 final, in which Juventus were defeated 4-1, and claims that a team medical official named only as "Dr. A" took responsibility for not mentioning on the doping-control form that the player had received two injections of dexamethasone before the match to deal with chronic issues in his shoulder and knee.

The story claims that Madrid's doctor wrote the wrong substance on the form amid all the excitement of the team's victory. UEFA sources told ESPN that this explanation was accepted at the time, and that the anti-doping agency had not seen any reason to challenge it.

The report also mentions an incident in which Madrid club medical staff took over the work of anti-doping officers amid "tension" at the club's Valdebebas training ground during an unannounced visit by UEFA controllers in February 2017. This led to correspondence between UEFA and Madrid senior figures, but no disciplinary action was taken.

Another incident mentioned in the "Football Leaks" article came after a La Liga game between Madrid and Malaga in April 2018, when an anti-doping officer reported that Ramos did not follow correct procedures by insisting on showering before taking a routine test after a game. Again, no further action was taken in this case, despite the Spanish anti-doping agency being notified.

Ramos' representatives did not immediately respond when asked by ESPN FC to comment on Der Spiegel's story.

UEFA drug testers regularly visit Madrid's training ground during the Champions League season, while players are also systematically tested after games in both UEFA competition and La Liga.

In July of 2017, Madrid's club doctor Jesus Olmo left the club by "mutual agreement," although no explanation was given for his departure at the time.

Olmo, the son-in-law of board member Jeronimo Farre, joined Madrid's staff as club doctor in the summer of 2013 and oversaw a medical department which was criticised at times over the intervening four years amid persistent injury issues suffered by players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

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