French and Juventus midfielder, Paul Pogba, has received a four-year ban from football due to a doping offense.
In September, Pogba was provisionally suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal, NADO Italia, after testing positive for testosterone, a prohibited substance.
In December, officials in Italy asked for Pogba to be banned from football for up to four years.
Pogba was found to have taken testosterone after Juventus played against Udinese on August 20, 2023. He wasn’t playing in the game but was sitting on the bench.
Testosterone injection is used for the treatment of men whose bodies do not make enough natural testosterone, a condition called hypogonadism. Testosterone is a male hormone responsible for the growth and development of the male sex organs and maintenance of secondary sex characteristics.
Testosterone injection is also used in women with breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic).The injection is also used to stimulate delayed puberty in male teenagers.
Sciencedirect.com reports that testosterone and anabolic androgenic steroids, AASs, have been widely used to enhance sport performance throughout the last 50years.
Pogba stated that he will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and emphasized that he has never used banned substances.
“I have been informed of the decision by the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping and I believe it’s wrong,” said Pogba.
“I’m saddened and shocked by the fact that everything I’ve achieved in my career has been taken away from me. When I’m legally allowed to speak freely, the whole truth will come out. I’ve never knowingly taken any supplements that break anti-doping rules.
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“As an athlete, I wouldn’t do anything to improve my performance with banned substances. I’ve always respected my fellow athletes and the teams I’ve played for or against.”
“I will appeal this decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” stated Pogba in response to the ruling.
Pogba decided not to negotiate with Italy’s anti-doping agency, so the case went to trial in the country’s anti-doping court. The verdict was confirmed by a person familiar with the case to The Associated Press, but they requested anonymity due to privacy laws in Italy.
As per the World Anti-Doping Code, four-year bans are typical for doping violations. However, they can be shortened if the athlete proves the doping wasn’t intentional, if the positive test resulted from contamination, or if they provide valuable assistance to investigators.
Pogba, aged 30, rejoined Juventus in 2022 after playing for Manchester United again. Since returning to Italy, he has faced injuries. During his first time at Juventus from 2012 to 2016, he played in 178 matches. He missed France’s journey to the World Cup final in 2022 due to a knee injury.
Moreover, there’s an ongoing police inquiry in France regarding claims that Pogba was a target of extortion, allegedly involving his brother Mathias, who has denied any involvement.
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