Football Leaks: Ramos failed drugs test after 2017 UCL final

Football Leaks reports that Sergio Ramos failed a drugs test in the aftermath of his team’s 2017 UCL final, which they won 4-1 victory over Juventus.

Even so, he wasn’t reportedly punished for his actions.

German newspaper Der Spiegel reports that the Real Madrid’s captian urine sample contained traces of dexamethasone, and that the results were covered up by UEFA.

The cortisone preparation is on the list kept by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of substances that are prohibited in competition.

Administration of dexamethasone prior to a match is permitted, but a team doctor must report its use on doping control forms, but this was missing.

The Real Madrid doctor has admitted to giving Ramos two injections of dexamethasone the day before the final in June last year, one in his shoulder and another in his knee.

He then noted in his doping report that Ramos had received treatment with another anti-inflammatory drug containing betamethasone, which is also on WADA’s list of banned substances in competition.

UEFA accepted the doctor’s reasoning and claim it was made ‘in compliance’ with WADA code.

Football Leaks claim that when they contacted Real Madrid and Ramos they had no comment to make.

It seems like there was also a Cristiano Ronaldo drug test case back in February 2017 (when he still played for the Spanish football club) as UEFA seemingly did not take any actions once again against Real. Some say Real Madrid are “protected” by UEFA in some ways but this remains to be seen.