Football: four years of suspension required against Paul Pogba by the Italian anti-doping prosecution

Published on : 07/12/2023 – 14:02Modified : 07/12/2023 – 14:07

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“I can confirm that we received this (Thursday) morning this notification from the anti-doping authority, with four years (of suspension) required,” this source told AFP, confirming information from Italian media.

This indictment is consistent with the maximum penalty incurred by Paul Pogba according to the World Anti-Doping Code. Such a suspension can, however, be reduced by half if the Frenchman demonstrates non-intentionality. It can even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “outside competition and is not linked to their level of performance”.

The 2018 world champion, aged 30, tested positive in August, during the match between Udinese and Juventus, a match on the first day of the Italian championship in which he did not play.

Less than a month after his provisional suspension on September 11 by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado), Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample confirmed the presence of testosterone metabolites.

To explain this positive anti-doping test, the entourage of “La Pioche” announced in September that the testosterone metabolites came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor that the player consulted in the United States.

Testosterone, the hormone of fertility and male sexuality, promotes muscle development.

© 2023 AFP