Ajax double blow as Andre Onana banned for a YEAR for doping violation and Sebastien Haller confirmed out of Europa League squad ON SAME DAY

Andre Onana has been handed a one-year suspension having failed an out of competition doping test.

The Ajax goalkeeper and Cameroon international has been banned by UEFA as they discovered the forbidden substance Furosemide in a urine sample when tested in October 2020.

The doping violation, which Ajax claim is accidental, sees Onana banned from playing for 12 months starting today (February 5).

Ajax plan to appeal the suspension and offered their explanation for the failed test, claiming he unknowingly took a pill, Lasimac, that his wife had previously been prescribed to ease discomfort.

“On the morning of October 30, Onana was feeling unwell,” read the statement.

“He wanted to take a pill to ease the discomfort. Unknowingly, however, he took Lasimac, a drug that his wife had previously been prescribed.

“Onana’s confusion resulted in him mistakenly taking his wife’s medicine, ultimately causing this measure to be taken by UEFA against the goalkeeper.

“Furthermore, the disciplinary body of the football association has stated that Onana had no intention of cheating. However, the European Football Association believes, on the basis of the applicable anti-doping rules, that an athlete has a duty at all times to ensure that no banned substances enter the body.”

Onana’s ban was announced on the same day UEFA confirmed Sebastien Haller will not be able to feature for Ajax in the Europa League this season.

The Dutch giants’ record signing, who joined from West Ham in a £22.5million deal last month, was not included in Ajax’s squad list for the Europa League when it was submitted earlier this week.

It was a huge error which Ajax investigated to check whether the fault was theirs, UEFA’s or the Dutch FA’s.

But it appears the club themselves were to blame as Haller’s absence from the squad for the knockout stages of the competition has now been confirmed.

Their statement on the Haller issue read: “UEFA has informed Ajax that Sébastien Haller will definitely not be available in the UEFA Europa League for the rest of the 2020/2021 season.”