AJAX GOALKEEPER ANDRE Onana has been suspended for 12 months after he failed an out-of-competition doping test.

The Cameroon international tested positive for the banned substance Furosemide in a urine test last October.

Onana’s suspension, which applies to both club and international football, takes effect from today. However, both the player and the club will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Ajax confirmed this morning.

“On the morning of October 30, Onana was feeling unwell,” the Eredivisie champions said in a 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.”

Ajax managing director Edwin van der Sar said: “We explicitly renounce performance-enhancing drugs, we obviously stand for a clean sport.

“This is a terrible setback, for Andre himself but certainly also for us as a club. Andre is a top goalkeeper, who has proven his worth for Ajax for years and is very popular with the fans.

“We had hoped for a conditional suspension or for a suspension much shorter than these twelve months, because it was arguably not intended to strengthen his body and thus improve his performance. ”