AFPPaul Pogba is disappointed
NOS Voetbal•Thursday, 1:14 PM•Adjusted Thursday, 3:17 PM
A positive doping test has earned footballer Paul Pogba a four-year ban, his club Juventus told the AFP news agency. The suspension is in accordance with the punishment that the Italian doping authority had demanded. Pogba has announced that he will appeal once morest the punishment to the international sports tribunal CAS.
The 30-year-old French midfielder was provisionally suspended in September last year following he was caught using testosterone following the league match once morest Udinese on August 20. A month later, the B sample from Pogba, who was on the bench in the match won 3-0 by Juve, was also found positive.
Pogba denies
After completing the investigation, the Frenchman was given the opportunity to provide mitigating circumstances. However, Pogba has not provided an explanation to the doping authority and has never publicly commented on his positive test and possible suspension.
Until today. On Instagram he says he has “never knowingly” taken doping products. “I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built throughout my professional playing career has been taken away from me.”
“As a professional athlete, I would never do anything to enhance my performance by using banned substances and I have never disrespected or deceived colleagues and supporters of the teams I played for or once morest,” he said.
Pogba still has a contract with Juventus until 2026, where he returned in 2022 but has been of little value, partly due to injuries.
