Doping : Pogba reacts to Four-Year Ban, vows to appeal

France’s soccer sensation, Paul Pogba, has been slapped with a four-year football ban by Italy’s anti-doping tribunal for testing positive for testosterone last August, confirmed his club Juventus on Thursday.

The 30-year-old World Cup winner had been under provisional suspension since September. Pogba intends to appeal the decision, expressing dismay over the potential early end to his career.

He refutes the allegations, asserting that he never knowingly consumed any banned substances. The ban renders him unable to play until the 2027/28 season, by which time he will be 34.

Pogba’s representatives attribute the positive test to a doctor-prescribed food supplement in the United States.

This ordeal compounds a difficult season for Pogba, who faced fitness issues upon his return to Juventus in 2022. Additionally, he’s grappling with off-field troubles, including an extortion attempt earlier in 2022.

Despite his contract with Juventus running until 2026, his salary has been suspended amid the ongoing situation.

Pogba’s career trajectory saw him shine at Juventus between 2012 and 2016 before a record-breaking return to Manchester United.

Throughout his career, he has amassed 91 caps for France and played pivotal roles in their Euro 2016 final and 2018 World Cup triumphs.