4 years of suspension required against Paul Pogba by the Italian anti-doping prosecution

2023-12-07 15:01:06

Four years of suspension were requested Thursday by the Italian anti-doping prosecution against Paul Pogba, a source within Juventus Turin told AFP. The French international midfielder, who plays in the Italian championship, tested positive for testosterone in August.

Published on: 07/12/2023 – 2:01 p.m. Modified on: 07/12/2023 – 2:57 p.m.

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It is a heavy sentence that hangs over the career of Paul Pogba. Four years of suspension were requested on Thursday December 7 by the Italian anti-doping prosecution against the French international from Juventus Turin, who tested positive for testosterone. “I can confirm that we received this (Thursday) morning this notification from the anti-doping authority, with four years (of suspension) required,” this source told AFP, confirming information from Italian media.

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This indictment is consistent with the maximum penalty incurred by Paul Pogba according to the World Anti-Doping Code. Such a suspension can, however, be reduced by half if the Frenchman demonstrates non-intentionality. It can even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “outside competition and is not linked to their level of performance”.

The 2018 world champion, aged 30, tested positive in August, during the match between Udinese and Juventus, a match on the first day of the Italian championship in which he did not play.

Less than a month after his provisional suspension on September 11 by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado), Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample confirmed the presence of testosterone metabolites.

To explain this positive anti-doping test, the entourage of “La Pioche” announced in September that the testosterone metabolites would come from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor that the player consulted in the United States.

Testosterone, the hormone of fertility and male sexuality, promotes muscle development.

With AFP