According to reports from Italian media, Paul Pogba, a player for Juventus, has been suspended from football for four years after failing a drug test.
The former Manchester United player’s excessive testosterone levels in his drug test resulted in an interim ban in September. Athletes’ endurance is increased by the hormone testosterone.
The 30-year-old was subjected to a random test following Juventus’ opening game of the 2023 season on August 20, 2023. Pogba is anticipated to contest the decision of Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal, according to BBC Sport.
Juventus told the BBC that early on Thursday morning, they received notification from the anti-doping tribunal. This ruling suggests that Pogba won’t be allowed to play in any games until 2027, when he is 33.
The ban was backdated to the date of the failed test. During the initial suspension, Pogba’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, said, “What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule.”
BBC reports that Pogba was found to have violated rules due to the presence of non-endogenous testosterone metabolites in the test, indicating an external source of the substances.
Juventus welcomed back Pogba, a former player of the club, with a four-year contract in July 2022 following his departure from Manchester United as a free agent.
During his time with the Italian giants from 2012–2016, he appeared in 178 matches and scored 34 goals. The 2018 World Cup winner has faced ongoing injury issues since returning to Juventus, causing him to miss the recent World Cup in Qatar.
This season, Pogba has accumulated 51 minutes on the pitch as a substitute in matches against Bologna and Empoli. During the previous season, he accumulated a total of 162 minutes across various competitions but did not score any goals.
