Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos failed a doping test after the Champions League Final against Juventus, but was not punished, according to Football Leaks.
The defender tested positive for a banned substance following the 4-1 Final result on June 3, 2017.
It was, according to Der Spiegel, L’Espresso and other sources in the Football Leaks group of media sources, not the first time that Real Madrid had problems with doping tests.
The report suggests UEFA accepted an ‘apology’ and explanation from the club as justification for the failed test and took no further action.
Ramos tested positive for Dexamethasone, which can be used as long as UEFA are informed ahead of time.
Real Madrid instead told UEFA that he had been given Celestone Chronodose, and the chief medic took full responsibility for the ‘error.’
The problem, according to the Football Leaks report, is that another problem had already happened in February 2017.
A surprise doping test at the Real Madrid training ground sparked tension among the squad and eventually the players only went ahead with the tests when performed by the club medical staff.
This is against the rules, yet UEFA accepted the results, as Real insisted the anti-doping staff sent were not ‘professional’ enough.