France and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba have been provisionally suspended by the Italian National Anti-Doping Tribunal after returning an adverse sample, the club announced on Monday.
The 30-year-old was said to have tested positive for testosterone usage following a random drug test that was conducted on him after Juventus’s win on opening day against Udinese at Stadio Friuli on August 20 despite being an unused substitute.
The Italian anti-doping body released a statement on Monday to confirm the former Manchester United star’s suspension.
The statement read: “The National Antidoping Tribunal informs that, in acceptance of the instance proposed by the National Antidoping Prosecutor, it has provided for the provisional suspension of the athlete: Paul Labile Pogba (FIGC) for the violation of articles 2.1, 2.2; prohibited substance detected: Non-endogenous testosterone metabolites (The GC/c/IRMS results are consistent with the exogenous origin of the target compounds).”
Club statement
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Pogba’s current club, Juventus, also issued a club statement shortly after, with the Old Lady revealing that they reserve the right to the “next procedural steps”.
“Juventus Football Club announces that today, September 11, 2023, the footballer Paul Labile Pogba received a precautionary suspension order from the National Anti-Doping Tribunal following the results of tests carried out on August 20, 2023,” a statement from the Serie A side read.
“The club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps.”
The World Cup winner has found life tough since returning to Italy on a free transfer in the summer of 2022. He managed just ten matches last season, including six in Serie A, amid a series of injuries.
In the new campaign, he has played in two games for the Turin-based outfit, coming off the bench against Bologna and Empoli.
Pogba’s case is delicate, as he faces a possible ban of between two and four years from football if found guilty of the doping charges.
