France midfielder Paul Pogba is facing the possibility of a four-year suspension from professional football due to an ongoing anti-doping saga.
The situation took a dire twist as the counter-analysis of the anti-doping test he failed in August also returned positive.
Pogba, who currently plies his trade for Italian giants Juventus, initially tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone following a Serie A match against Udinese on August 20. Notably, he had spent the entire 90 minutes on the bench during that game but was randomly selected to undergo the test.
The potential consequences for the former Manchester United midfielder are severe with a four-year suspension hanging over him.
He could breathe a sigh of relief if he succeeded in demonstrating that the presence of the doping substance was entirely unintentional. This will potentially reduce his punishment to two years.
Paul Pogba, one of the greatest talents football has ever seen. It's sad it's ending this way💔
— Manuel🇺🇸 (@manuel_UtD) October 6, 2023
Juventus have already taken action by suspending the payment of Pogba’s substantial salary. The club is now contemplating the possibility of terminating his contract altogether.
In September, the club released a statement to acknowledge the “precautionary suspension order from the National Anti-Doping Tribunal following the results of tests carried out on 20 August, 2023.”
Pogba, who had committed to a lucrative deal with Juventus until the summer of 2025, returned to the club as a free agent in 2022 after a topsy-turvy spell at Manchester United.
Until the result of their initial test, the 30-year-old had endured yet another torrid spell struggling to remain fit to get enough moments on the pitch.
Paul Pogba might get a long ban
But we won’t forget the talent he was pic.twitter.com/ovm4q9IRpJ
— BurnHard (@BurnHardUTD) October 6, 2023