Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has been handed a four-year ban from football after failing a drugs test last August.
The 30-year-old tested positive for testosterone after Juventus’s first game of the season against Udinese, and was given his hefty punishment by an anti-doping prosecutor’s office in Italy on Thursday.
Pogba’s lawyers had rejected a plea deal and hoped to get their client a lighter sentence after claiming he had accidentally ingested the substance that caused the positive test.
However, the prosecution did not believe Pogba’s defence, and he has now been given a ban that could potentially end his career. Pogba has confirmed his intention to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Pogba will turn 31 next month, meaning he would not be able to return to the pitch until he is almost 35, unless his appeal is successful.
Paul Pogba has been banned for four years after failing a drugs test last year
His second spell at Juventus has proved to be a disaster after he rejoined the club in 2022
Pogba was once the most expensive player in the world when he signed for Man United for £89m in 2016
Pogba, also known for his personality off the pitch, could now call time on his playing career
Sharing a statement after the verdict, the France international stressed that he had been handed a ruling that was ‘incorrect’.
‘I have today been informed of the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping’s decision and believe that the verdict is incorrect.
‘I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me.
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‘When I am free of legal restrictions the full story will become clear, but I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations.
‘As a professional athlete I would never do anything to enhance my performance by using banned substances and have never disrespected or cheated fellow athletes and supporters of any of the teams I have played for, or against.
‘As a consequence of the decision announced today I will appeal this before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.’
Pogba’s suspension completes a dramatic fall from grace for a player who was once the most expensive footballer in the world.
After coming through United’s academy, Pogba moved to Juventus on a free transfer in 2012 and proceeded to win four straight Serie A titles.
This convinced the Red Devils to bring him back to Old Trafford in 2016 for a world-record fee of £89m.
Pogba won the World Cup with France two years later, scoring in the final against Croatia, but struggled to hit the same heights at club level.
Pogba won the World Cup with France in 2018, scoring in the final against Croatia
He failed to hit the same heights at club level for Man United, and left the club in 2022
Pogba’s final game for United saw him limp off after 10 minutes of a 4-0 defeat at Liverpool
During his six years back in England, Pogba won the Europa League and League Cup with United, but failed to turn them into Premier League title contenders.
His final game saw him limp off after 10 minutes as United slumped to a dismal 4-0 defeat against bitter rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
He left the 13-time Premier League champions on a free transfer for the second time in 2022 to go back to Juventus as he aimed to resurrect his career.
But his first year back in Turin proved disastrous as he missed the majority of the campaign due to injury.
Pogba started just one game all season after being sidelined with knee, groin and hamstring problems.
He was named on the bench for their opening match of the 2023-24 season, but was an unused substitute in their 3-0 win at Udinese.
Following that match, he returned a test that has led to him receiving a four-year ban.
The substance found in his system was DHEA, which can naturally boost levels of testosterone.
Pogba requested for his B-sample to be tested, but this also came back positive in October, leading to Juventus contemplating terminating his contract.
He was adamant from the start that he had no idea how the substance had got into his system and that he had not been looking to gain a sporting advantage.
There was also a previous case in Serie A that suggested Pogba may not receive such a severe sanction.
In 2018 the Brazilian forward Joao Pedro, of Cagliari, faced a four-year ban after testing positive for a diuretic. Pedro insisted he had unwittingly consumed contaminated food supplements and, if you pardon the pun, his argument was swallowed.
Pogba kept himself in shape while he waited to learn his punishment, but he has now been given a lengthy ban
As a result, he received a six-month ban – most of which was served over a pre-season.
Pogba may have hoped for a similar sentence, and worked on keeping himself in shape while he waited to learn his fate.
His agent, Rafaela Pimenta, also claimed in November that he was optimistic about his potential ban and had not given up hope of playing again.
However, he will now have to serve a lengthy suspension following Thursday’s ruling.