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The career of France international Paul Pogba was hanging in the balance on Tuesday after Italian anti-doping authorities provisionally suspended the midfielder for testing positive for a banned substance.
Though he was an unused substitute, Pogba went for doping controls after Juve’s 3-0 Serie A season-opening victory at Udinese on 20 August.
Testosterone, a hormone that increases athletes’ endurance, was detected in Pogba’s sample.
“In acceptance of the instance proposed by the National Anti-doping Prosecutor, it has provided for the provisional suspension of the athlete Paul Labile Pogba,” NADO Italia said in a statement.
If Pogba’s B sample produces the same result, he could be suspended for up to four years.
“We are waiting for the results of the counter-analysis and cannot say anything until then,” Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said in a statement reported by Italian media.
“The only certain thing is that Paul Pogba never intended to break the rules.”
Misfortune has beset Pogba since returning to Juventus from Manchester United in 2022.
After injuring his left knee that summer and undergoing surgery in September, he did not play a single match for Juventus in 2022.
Injuries
At the start of 2023, he was injured as he was on the verge of rejoining the first team squad. He suffered another injury in May and could not recover his fitness to be included in France’s squad for the 2022 World Cup.
There has also been a police investigation in France into allegations that Pogba was targeted by extortionists — including by his older brother, Mathias, who has denied any wrongdoing.
Having started his career at Manchester United and then gone to Juventus and back to Manchester, Pogba was known for his versatility, physicality and eye for the goal. He scored the goal for 3-1 in France’s 2018 World Cup final victory over Croatia.
In an interview with Al Jazeera on Monday, Pogba said he had considered retiring from the sport having been worn down by the alleged extortion attempts and threats.
“Sometimes I was just by myself thinking: ‘I don’t want to have money anymore. I just don’t want to play anymore. I just want to be with normal people, so they will love me for me – not for the fame, not for the money,'” he said.
