Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba was placed on precautionary suspension in September of 2023, this comes after testing positive for testosterone metabolites in August of that year when Juventus played against Udinese on August 20. Despite sitting on Juventus’ bench, the French international did not participate in the Serie A game. Before his suspension was made public, he went on to make substitute appearances for Juventus in their matches against Bologna on August 27 and Empoli on September 3.
Pogba requested a counter-analysis of his positive drug test results following his original suspension, but those findings also revealed a positive result. After his positive doping test in December, Italian anti-doping prosecutors asked for the maximum four-year suspension. The matter was tried before the country’s anti-doping court and Pogba chose not to enter into a plea agreement with the anti-doping agency.
Paul Pogba received a four-year ban, which is the standard term under the World Anti-Doping Code. Pogba plans to challenge the penalty in the Court of Arbitration of Sport. The Juventus midfielder expressed his sadness, disbelief, and heartbreak over the punishment. Pogba’s suspension starts on the day he tested positive, and it will last until August 2027. It’s unclear if his career will continue after the ban as he would then be 34 years of age.
Pogba announced that he would appeal the ruling to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. He stated that he would share his whole story when “free of legal restrictions”. An athlete’s four-year anti-doping penalty may be shortened if they can demonstrate that their actions were unintentional, or if they can offer “substantial assistance” to investigators.
