The infamous Paul Pogba’s doping case has finally received its end of drama, as the 30-year-old former Manchester United and current Juventus midfielder has been slapped with a lengthy ban of four years from professional senior football. The news on Pogba’s doping case was confirmed when Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal (TNA) accepted the Anti-Doping Prosecutor’s Office’s request to penalise the former FIFA World Cup winner with France on a four-year ban, and the period of punishment is considered a standard length of ban under the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA).
The Pogba’s doping case was initiated when non-endogenous testosterone metabolites was found in the midfield star’s drug test after a Udinese game at Bluenergy Stadium last August with him also failing the subsequent test in October 2023. Here is more on Pogba’s doping case in the following parts of the article.
Statements on Paul Pogba’s Doping Case
Following the apparent conclusion on Pogba’s doping case, the French footballer took to the internet to make his feelings known about the four-year ban verdict. “I have today been informed of the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping’s decision and believe that the verdict is incorrect. I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me. 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,” said the 30-year-old.
Continuing on Pogba’s doping case, the current Juventus midfielder also had iterations in his public announcement, that he has been adhering to the rules and regulations during his professional senior playing career in football. He said, “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.”
Responding to Pogba’s doping case, France manager Didier Deschamps gave his thoughts over the midfielder’s situation last October, saying “I don’t know what tomorrow holds for him, but what’s happening to him is sad for him. I’ll not have a categorical or radical position. I don’t know what his future will be like, it will take time. Even if he hasn’t been with us for a while. I hope for him that he finds his smile again”. With Pogba, Deschamps led Les Bleus to their second triumph in the quadrennial FIFA World Cup in 2018, and a knee injury saw the Lagny-sur-Marne-born star missed the 2022 edition, where France reached their second consecutive final in the competition.
More on Deschamps’ Statement on Pogba’s Doping Case: “What’s Happening to Him Is Sad,” Deschamps Surprised with Paul Pogba’s 2nd Failed Drug Test but Refused to Promise a Future
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What Does Pogba’s Doping Case Decision Mean to Him?
Following the conclusion of Pogba’s doping case, the player who turns 31 later this month may be looking at the end of his playing career in football due to the four-year ban. This is because since returning to Italian Serie A side Juventus after a six-season stint that is filled with ups and downs at 13-time English Premier League winners Manchester United, Pogba has been unable to break into the starting lineup for the Old Lady due to injuries and poor forms; One and a half seasons into his second tenure with the 36-time Italian Serie A champions, Pogba only featured 12 games in all competitions for the club, offering a single assist during the process.
Pogba’s Juventus currently trail archrivals Inter Milan by a massive margin of 12 points in the Serie A table with only 12 league games remaining in the 2023/2024 Season, following I Nerazzurri’s 4-0 thrashing over Atalanta BC at San Siro a couple of days ago. The full match details on Matchday 26 of the Italian top-flight football are covered in this article, feel free to give it a thorough read right away!
Just six years ago, Paul Pogba was at the height of his career helping France 🇫🇷 to win the World Cup in Russia.
Now, he has been banned for four years because of doping. A tragic downfall and decline in what seems to be a never-ending nightmare. 🤯😤😬 pic.twitter.com/j7ISV2p308
— Usher Komugisha (@UsherKomugisha) February 29, 2024
The Aftermath of Pogba’s Doping Case: Frenchman to Appeal Decision
Now that the Pogba’s doping case has ended with the France footballer being hit with a four-year ban from any professional football activities, the 30-year-old has vowed to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In regard to confront the risks of his premature retirement from his playing career, the appeal process is likely to take more than half a year for completion. Pogba is currently contracted with Juventus until the end of the 2025/2026 Season, and the four-year suspension to Pogba’s doping case might be worsened if the Italian outfit, who have yet to make any comments on the matter, decide to end their connection with the Frenchman.
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Pogba’s Career at Manchester United, Juventus and France Thus Far
The Frenchman has had a trembling playing career since he burst onto the scene for the senior side of the Red Devils in 2011/2012 upon graduation from the club’s academy. Due to the extensive star presence in the-then United squad managed by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, Pogba was not given sufficient opportunities to fulfil his potential at the English football giants, thus a plan to leave United and join Juventus were on the cards for the player, who completed a move to join the Italian counterparts in the following year.
At the Old Lady was where Pogba finally fledged his wings. From 2012 to 2016, the France footballer appeared for 180 times in all competitions for the club, scoring 34 goals and providing 40 assists in addition to leading Juventus to win four consecutive Serie A titles, two successful Coppa Italia trophies and another couple of Coppa Italia triumphs during the process. These successes drew attention from the club he graduated from, and Manchester United went on to re-sign Pogba on a a then-record for highest football transfer fee at €105 million that surpassed Wales winger Gareth Bale’s move to leave Tottenham Hotspur and join Real Madrid in 2013.
It is safe to say Pogba’s following term at the Red Devils was full of turmoil, as he notched 90 goal contributions in over two centuries of games for the 20-time English champions, winning only two team honours as a result, that was, the 2016/2017 UEFA Europa League and EFL Cup. Furthermore, in terms of his international career where he made his senior debut back in 2013 as a 20 year old, and went on to collect over 90 caps for Les Bleus, with his impressive achievements translated into winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2020/2021 UEFA Nations League as well as a runners-up finish at the 2016 UEFA European Championship.
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