New Delhi: Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has been handed the maximum four-year ban from football for doping. The French midfielder, who tested positive for testosterone after Juventus’s opening game of the season against Udinese last August, was given the maximum punishment by an anti-doping prosecutor’s office in Italy on Thursday, according to a La Repubblica report.
Pogba, regarded as one of the finest modern-day footballers has failed to live up to his superstar billing in a career marred by injuries and controversies. The doping ban comes as a body blow to his already fading career.
His club Juventus confirmed the decision made by Italy’s anti-doping tribunal on Thursday.
The World Cup-winning playmaker was provisionally suspended in September last year after a doping control detected the banned substance testosterone.
NADO, at that time, released a statement and said the “prohibited substance detected: Non-endogenous testosterone metabolites”, was consistent with a doping infringement.
The doping test was reportedly carried out on the opening day of the Italian Serie A season. Juventus ran out 3-0 winners at Udinese on August 20, during which Pogba was an unused substitute.
He was found positive for the ‘A’ sample last year and following the findings of the ‘B’ sample in October, which was also positive, the anti-doping prosecutor’s office had asked for the maximum four-year ban.
Body blow for Pogba
Pogba’s downfall is nothing but tragic. The promising youngster, who left Manchester United, one of the biggest football clubs in the world to join Juventus 12 years ago, has flattered to deceive despite possessing immense potential. After joining the Serie A side, he won four successive league titles two Coppa Italia, and Supercoppa Italiana titles each, won the Golden Boy award in 2013 and established himself as one of the best midfielders in the world. His performances in Italy were a cause of envy for Manchester United, who brought him back to the club in 2016 for a then-world record fee of £89.3 million.
In his first season back at Old Trafford, Pogba won the League Cup and the Europa League titles but injuries and indifferent form led to his exit from the club in 2022. He returned to Juventus on a four-year contract but has appeared in only eight matches across two seasons due to multiple injuries.
