Juventus football star, Paul Pogba, has expressed shock after being banned from football for four years for an alleged doping offence.
The four-year ban announced on Thursday implied that the 30-year-old will not be able to participate in any matches until 2027 when he reaches the age of 33.
Pogba was randomly tested after Juventus’ first match of the season on August 20, 2023.
In September 2023, the former Manchester United midfielder faced a provisional suspension due to elevated testosterone levels found in a drug test.
Testosterone is a hormone that increases the endurance of athletes.
In October 2023, Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal confirmed the positive test in a second sample, leading to a request for a four-year suspension by the anti-doping prosecutor’s office.
The ban was backdated to the date of the failed test.
“I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me,” he said in a statement released shortly after the news of the ban broke.
“I have today been informed of the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping’s decision and believe that the verdict is incorrect.
“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,” the statement read.
According to a report by the BBC, Pogba was discovered to have breached regulations because of the detection of non-endogenous testosterone metabolites in the test, suggesting an external origin of the substances.
Pogba expressed his belief that the verdict was inaccurate and emphasised that he would never intentionally use doping substances.
“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.
“As a consequence of the decision announced today, I will appeal this before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”
Speaking at the time of the initial suspension, Pogba’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, said, “What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule.”
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