Paul Pogba provisionally suspended for anti-doping offence
- Juventus midfielder returned a test with elevated levels of testosterone after 3-0 win at August
- Pogba didn't play in the fixture but was selected at random for testing
- Could face a ban of up to four years
Paul Pogba has been suspended from playing after Italy's national anti-doping tribunal revealed the Juventus midfielder returned a test with higher levels of testosterone.
The France international was an unused substitute during the game at Udinese on 20 August when he was selected at random for post-match testing.
A statement from Juve reads: "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 club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps."
Pogba will now endure a trial and the testing of a back-up 'B' sample. He risks a suspension of two to four years if found guilty of using testosterone, a hormone which increases athletes' endurance.
The 30-year-old has struggled to maintain fitness in recent years, leaving Manchester United upon the expiry in the summer to return to Turin. However, he has managed only 51 minutes as a substitute so far this season.
The start of his second spell with Juve started with a knee injury after arriving on pre-season tour, opting against surgery in the hope of reaching the 2022 World Cup. However, the midfielder didn't make it to Qatar and a muscle strain delayed his comeback further until 28 February.
Pogba was not included in Didier Deschamps' France squad for the September international fixtures and hasn't played for Les Bleus since a friendly against South Africa in March 2022.
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