Positive Doping Test Confirmed for Paul Pogba: A Closer Look at the Ramifications

Soccer Star Paul Pogba Faces Four-Year Suspension After Positive Doping Test

The Nightmare Continues

In another blow to his career, soccer superstar Paul Pogba has received confirmation of a positive doping test after his appeal for a re-examination. The test revealed the presence of testosterone, which could now lead to a four-year suspension for the 2018 World Cup champion.

Pogba, 30, was provisionally suspended on September 11 by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) and was informed on Friday that the analysis of his B sample, conducted on Thursday, also detected the metabolites of testosterone, just as in the A sample. The news was first reported by Gazzetta dello Sport and confirmed by a source familiar with the matter to Agence France-Presse.

Suspension and Reduction

According to the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba could face a four-year suspension, which may be reduced by half if he can prove that the violation was unintentional. If the use of the substance occurred “out of competition” and was not related to performance enhancement, the suspension could be limited to a few months.

Pogba’s camp had previously attributed the positive test to a dietary supplement prescribed by a doctor in the United States.

Seven Days to Defend

Pogba now has seven days to present his defense to the National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will handle his case and decide on a sanction. This process may take several weeks.

Aside from the ongoing sporting justice procedure in Italy, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin prosecutor’s office, as doping is considered a crime in the country.

A Nightmare Year

This doping scandal is the latest setback in Pogba’s tumultuous year, both on and off the field. Last season, he made only ten appearances for Juventus due to a knee injury, which eventually required surgery in September. This setback prevented him from participating in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

However, it was off the field where the Guinean-born player experienced the worst. In March 2022, he was held captive for three hours by three childhood friends and two acquaintances from his childhood neighborhood in Roissy-en-Brie, near Paris. They attempted to extort 13 million euros from him, using masked and armed individuals. One of his brothers has been implicated in the organized extortion plot, and his mother, wife, and agent have faced threats.

Recently, Pogba spent five hours in Paris being confronted by five of his close associates suspected of involvement in his kidnapping.

The Road Ahead

The 2023-24 season seemed to bring better prospects for Pogba, despite a disrupted summer preparation due to his injury and subsequent operation. While he did not play on the first matchday of the Italian Championship, having been subjected to the doping test, he made a comeback on August 27, three months after his last match, in a draw against Bologna.

In an interview with Qatar-based Al-Jazeera, which aired shortly before news of the positive test broke, Pogba vowed to come back stronger. Now, he must hope for a chance to return to the sport.