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Paul Pogba, the former FIFA World Cup 2018 winner for France, has been provisionally suspended by NADO Italia, the national anti-doping tribunal of the country, in an announcement on September 11, Monday, following a positive test for testosterone. The random drugs test of the 30-year-old was taken after his club Juventus secured a 3-0 win against Udinese during the Serie A competition, on August 20, at the Stadio Friuli.
Notably, since making a move to the Italian club on a free transfer from Manchester United last summer, Paul Pogba had a season to forget, which was marred by knee and hamstring injuries, leading him to miss out on playing the FIFA World Cup 2022. Also, Juventus dropped the French footballer from their squad for some time last season, pertaining to disciplinary reasons too.
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The statement from NADO Italia about provisionally suspending Paul Pogba read, “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.” The tribunal said Pogba had violated anti-doping rules when they found the prohibited substance “non-endogenous testosterone metabolites,” adding that the results were “consistent with the exogenous origin of the target compounds.”
Juventus acknowledged the provisional suspension of Paul Pogba in a statement, which read, “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.”
The agent of Paul Pogba, named Rafaela Pimenta, said the following words about the matter, as reported by the Italian media, “We are waiting for the results of the counter-analysis and cannot say anything until then.”
“The only certain thing is that Paul Pogba never intended to break the rules,” he added.
