Sergio Ramos avoided doping sanction due to error while at Real Madrid

After revelations about the lax and suspicious anti-doping controls in Spanish sport earlier this week, fresh details have emerged about Sergio Ramos at one time escaping punishment for flouting test protocol.

It has been alleged that the Spanish Anti-Doping Agency (CELAD) carried out improper testing over a period of five years between 2017 and 2022, and on other occasions, deliberately acted in order to avoid opening investigations or sanctioning positive tests.

Now further information has emerged on the malpractice, as reported by Relevo. They say that Sergio Ramos was due to take a doping test following a match against Malaga in April of 2018 while playing for Real Madrid. Ramos and the Madrid doctor Julio de la Morena refused to take the test before the player had the chance to shower.

Athletes are required to give samples immediately after competing, and refusal to do so, to follow agent instructions, or behave in any way that might obstruct the test, is by rule treated as if the athlete has tested positive. The report goes on to explain that this had been reported previously by Der Spiegel, but they can now reveal why the matter did not result in an investigation or a sanction for Ramos.

The current Sevilla star and de la Morena declared as part of the required follow-up process, but the investigation was dropped. As was common practice then, the test was only conducted by one agent, rather than two, making it a void test. There were two people present, but the second was not in fact an agent, but rather the father of the agent. It should be noted that there is no suggestion that Ramos tested positive, merely that he went against the rules.