Former Manchester United star Paul Pogba is facing a four-year ban from football after a B sample from a recent drugs test came back positive on Friday. The 30-year-old Juventus midfielder was provisionally suspended in September following a random drugs test in the aftermath of his team’s 3-0 victory over Udinese in August.
Pogba was selected for the drugs test on the opening weekend of the Serie A season. And the 2018 World Cup winner was found to have elevated levels of testosterone in his system.
Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal released a statement at the time that read: “The National Antidoping Tribunal informs that, in acceptance of the instance proposed by the National Antidoping Prosecutor, it has provided for the provisional suspension of the athlete: Paul Labile Pogba (FIGC) for the violation of articles 2.1, 2.2; prohibited substance detected: Non-endogenous testosterone metabolites (The GC/c/IRMS results are consistent with the exogenous origin of the target compounds).”
His club then put out their own statement as they told fans: “Juventus Football Club announces that today, September 11, 2023, the footballer Paul Labile Pogba received a precautionary suspension order from the National Anti-Doping Tribunal following the results of tests carried out on August 20, 2023. The club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps.”
Pogba has also had a back-up sample that tested positive, and Juventus are now said to be deciding how to proceed with his contract. Under current regulations, an initial ban of two years could be dished out to Pogba – and the ban could be doubled if it is proven that the substance was taken deliberately. However, the player still has the option of appealing the decision through the National Anti-Doping Tribunal or the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Following Juventus’ clash with Udinese, Pogba was called into action from the bench during his side’s 1-1 draw with Bologna in late August and their 2-0 win over Empoli at the start of September. But he hasn’t played for more than a month.
Pogba signed for the Red Devils for the first time in 2009 during Sir Alex Ferguson’s time in charge but left the club three years later to join Juventus on a free transfer. The star then returned to Old Trafford in 2016 after the 13-time Premier League champions were forced to shell out a then world-record fee of £89million.
Pogba exhibited his world-class talents at times during his second spell in England but came in for huge criticism for a string of underwhelming performances and lacklustre displays. And he eventually called time on his United career for good in 2022 after racking-up 39 goals and 51 assists in 233 appearances.
The midfielder, who helped France win their second World Cup during his time at Old Trafford, endured an injury-hit campaign following his return to Juventus and has only played 12 times since returning to Italy.
