Explained: Why Andre Onana got a nine-month drug ban

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 20 Jul 2023 13:16 CDT
• 3 min read

New Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana was banned for nine months in 2021. What happened?

Onana has put pen to paper on a €55 million transfer from Inter Milan this week after the clubs agreed on the fee and structure of the deal.

The Cameroonian is expected to be a significant upgrade on David de Gea - who has now left on expiry of his contract - with his ability to play out from the back something Erik ten Hag was particularly keen to have in his team.

READ: Better than Alisson & Ederson: Onana is the world's BEST ball-playing goalkeeper

Ten Hag and Onana won the Dutch domestic treble together in 2019, but it wasn't all plain sailing for the goalkeeper during his seven-year stay in Amsterdam, with FIFA handing him a 12-month drugs ban in February 2021, which was commuted to nine months that June.

Onana had tested positive for the banned substance Furosemide on 30 October 2020. The drug isn't performance enhancing in its own right, but can mask other kinds of doping according to the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Ban reduced, but not overturned

Ajax appealed UEFA's decision with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and in June they reduced his ban, rather than overturning it.

READ: Onana to Man Utd: Fabrizio Romano reveals SECRETS behind transfer

"The CAS panel... found that no 'significant fault' could be attributed to Andre Onana, who had ingested medication destined for another person in error," the court stated.

Onana said that he had taken his wife's medication in error, thinking it was an aspirin, having woken up ill on the morning of 30 October.

Onana, who has since retired from international duty with Cameroon, was not allowed to play for club or country until 4 November 2021, although he was allowed to train from 4 September.

He spent the following season at Ajax before leaving for Inter on a free transfer, and helped the Nerazzurri to last seasons's Champions League final, in which they were edged 1-0 by Manchester City.