Paul Pogba receives FOUR YEAR BAN from football after failing drugs test

Former Manchester United player Paul Pogba receives a FOUR YEAR BAN from football after failing a drugs test last August.

As reported by La Repubblica, the anti-doping prosecutor’s office in Italy imposed a significant penalty on the 30-year-old player after he tested positive for testosterone following Juventus’s season opener against Udinese.

Pogba’s legal team declined a plea agreement and aimed to secure a reduced punishment by arguing that he had unintentionally consumed the substance responsible for the positive test.

Nevertheless, the prosecution remained unconvinced by Pogba’s defense.

BREAKING 🚨: Paul Pogba has been banned from football for four years for a doping offence, according to Sky 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/S4Wa6foCPY

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 29, 2024

Pogba said in a statement: “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.

“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.”

Four-year bans are standard under the World Anti-Doping Code but can be reduced in cases where an athlete can prove their doping was unintentional, if the positive test was a result of contamination or if they provide ‘substantial assistance’ to help investigators.

A statement from the anti-doping body read: “The National Antidoping Tribunal informs that, in acceptance of the instance proposed by the National Antidoping Prosecutor, it has provided for the provisional suspension of the athlete: Paul Labile Pogba (FIGC) for the violation of articles 2.1, 2.2; prohibited substance detected: Non-endogenous testosterone metabolites (The GC/c/IRMS results are consistent with the exogenous origin of the target compounds).”

It is claimed that Pogba’s claim that it was an ‘accidental intake’ was ‘never believed by the prosecution’.

‘Paul Pogba, Juventus midfielder, has been banned for 4 years for doping,’ the report states. ‘The request of the Anti-Doping Prosecutor’s Office has been accepted.

‘The footballer had tested positive for testosterone after Udinese v Juventus on 20 August. A match in which the Juventus midfielder had not taken part, remaining on the bench until the final whistle.

‘At almost 31 years old (he will turn 31 on March 15), the French’s career seems destined to end here.

‘The prosecution never believed the defense’s version of accidental intake of the substance. A key point for Pogba’s lawyers, who had refused the plea bargain.’

Pogba has faced challenges in recent years and revealed in the past year that he nearly quit football due to an extortion attempt by a criminal group.

In September 2022, Pogba’s brother Mathias was arrested on suspicion of being linked to the extortion scheme, where the footballer was targeted for £11.1m.

The French player reported the incident to authorities in Turin in July of the previous year, not long after departing the Premier League giants to return to Juventus as a free agent.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, the £89million, Man Utd signing said: “When there is money you have to be careful. Money changes people. It can break up a family. It can create a war.

“Sometimes I was just by myself thinking: ‘I don’t want to have money anymore. I just don’t want to play anymore. I just want to be with normal people, so they will love me for me – not for the fame, not for the money.’

“Sometimes it’s tough. This life, you have to go through it. It will only make me stronger.”

Twitter users reacted as Paul Pogba receives FOUR YEAR BAN from football after failing a drugs test…

@sambingham2708: Souness was right all along.

@Jonny_MCFC_7: Really dislike Pogba but this seems very excessive. Basically ending his career at age 30 as he certainly won’t be at any top club in 4 years. You can argue it’s his own fault but 4 years seems very very harsh.

@embleton01: The last time he performed to a high standard was during his first spell at Juve. His reputation got him by for the rest of the years. He won a world cup in a team of superstars but at club level he’s been missing for years

@davis0688: Might get reduced but regardless one of the biggest wastes of a career this lad

@letson98: Absolute bum man should’ve been an all timer

@StoreyLewis: Been some overrated footballers in our lifetimes but he’s up there. Makes sense why they always used to get him to do drug tests all the time now. Suppose being a millionaire anyways will soften the blow marras 🤣

@deanmillaparker: Imagine if Pogba was doping whilst at United and was still that shite

@VivekMUFC_: All these Pogba compilations making me reminisce the ridiculous talent he was. Not his biggest fan, but this is indeed a sad ending. Probably (definitely) has only himself to blame.

@RobCUtd: pogba fc whoppers won’t be happy will they – delightful 🫢😆 they’ll be able to find him by a pool in Dubai anyway

@UtdObserver: Sadly, Paul Pogba’s career will go down as another case of ‘what could’ve been’. Yes, he won a World Cup and played a huge part in doing so, but he could’ve had so, so much more. #MUFC

@liamedwards1919: Biggest waste of talent ever

@sspencerukk: Souness is gonna go on a two week bender

@jon_warburton: If that was Pogba on performance enhancing drugs how bad was he beforehand

@DJHD85: All his own doing, he’s an absolute clown

@OnlyZaan: What a waste of a career !! First he made a bad choice by going to Man Utd then he overstayed his stay and when he did leave he left in a terrible physical state to a better club but not where a talent like him should’ve gone to 🤷🏻‍♂️

@Kristides_: Ruined his own career sadly

@Jacob01Aus: The year is 2028 and the Brisbane Roar have signed now 35 year old injury ridden Paul Pogba who goes on to play 4 games with a combined total of 33 minutes game time before ending up on an English punditry team.

@SSE_LTFC: That’s his career over then, world was at his feet and just threw it all away.

@man_utdbanter: WTH IS PAUL POGBA DOING, IS THIS WHY #mufc GOT RID OF HIM?????

@steevyben: Na so Paul Pogba career just end like that..

@the_irishguy: He could have been banned for the last four years and I don’t think anybody would have noticed.

Paul Pogba a story of unfulfilled natural-born talent. A world cup winner but could have achieved so much more.

— Alex Crook ⚽️🎙 (@alex_crook) February 29, 2024

It wasn’t meant to end like this…

pic.twitter.com/91OviFgMor https://t.co/k7LlEFQcMK

— 𝙇𝙞𝙖𝙢🇧🇪 (@OfficialVizeh) February 29, 2024