French footballer and Juventus midfielder, Paul Pogba, has been handed a four-year doping ban by Italy’s national anti-doping organization (NADO Italia) after he tested positive for testosterone, a banned substance, in September.
The tribunal of NADO Italia provisionally suspended Pogba after the test.
The 30-year-old midfielder, who has a contract with Juventus until June 2026, has denied any wrongdoing and said that he would appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport to clear his name.
Pogba has been one of the highest-earning players in the world of football, having completed a then-world record transfer of over 100 million euros ($108.42 million) to Manchester United in 2016.
However, if the ban is upheld by CAS, it could effectively end Pogba’s career at the highest level.
The doping test was performed after Juventus’ 3-0 Serie A season-opening victory at Udinese on August 20.
The results of the test were consistent with an ‘exogenous’ (external) origin of the substance, according to the tribunal.
Pogba was an unused substitute in that game but later made two appearances off the bench against Bologna and Empoli before he was handed a provisional suspension.
The positive doping test was also confirmed in a counter-analysis on a second sample in October.
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Juventus has not commented on the ban, but a source confirmed that the club was notified about the decision and would assess the next steps.
According to the source, Juventus is currently paying Pogba a minimum wage of 2,000 euros ($2,169.80) per month.
The ban could lead to the termination of Pogba’s contract and keep him out of action until September 2027, when he will be 34.
In a statement, Pogba said, “I am sad, shocked, and heartbroken that everything I have built in 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 have never disrespected or cheated fellow athletes and supporters of any of the teams I have played for, or against. 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.”
Pogba has had a difficult second spell with Juventus due to injuries since returning to the Turin-based club following his departure from United on a free transfer in 2022.
He barely featured last season due to knee and hamstring injuries, as well as knee surgery, which prevented him from playing for France at the World Cup in Qatar.
