Football star Paul Pogba banned for four years for doping – Dagsavisen

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Pogba himself confirms on Instagram that he has been informed of the long exclusion. He intends to take the case further to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with the hope of a different outcome there.

Pogba calls the penalty wrong.

– I am sad, shocked and devastated that everything I have built up in my professional career has been taken away from me, he says.

– When I no longer have to deal with legal restrictions, the whole story will come one day, but I have never knowingly or willfully taken any substances that break the doping rules, Pogba continues.

The punishment, which was announced on Thursday, is in line with the claim made by the prosecution for doping cases in Italian sport. Pogba’s appeal ends up at the Court of Arbitration in Lausanne.

Testosterone

Four years is the maximum ban for offenses of the type Pogba has committed. Initially, a ban of up to two years is used in doping cases in Italy, but the penalty can be doubled if it is proven that the banned substance was taken on purpose.

This means that the national anti-doping court in the country has not believed Pogba’s explanation that he has ingested the drug without premeditation.

The Frenchman has been suspended since September as a result of his positive doping test with traces of testosterone. The test in question must have been given after the series opener against Udinese on 20 August last year. Juventus won that match 3-0, but Pogba remained on the bench for the full 90 minutes.

After the result of the A test became known, Pogba asked for a new analysis of the doping test. The B sample came out with the same result.

Also read: Pogba’s B test also positive – risks a long sentence

Is your career on hold?

The midfielder has struggled with injuries in recent years and played just six league games for Juventus last season. Juventus has previously written that the club reserves the right to decide what to do in connection with the matter.

Pogba has also played for Manchester United for a number of years. He became world champion with France in 2018, and in his first period at Juventus he won four straight league titles (2013-2016).

It is not unlikely that a doping ban of four years will mean the end of Pogba’s football career. The midfielder turns 31 in March and will be 34 when the suspension is over.

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