Paul Pogba breaks his silence and admits he is ‘sad, shocked and heartbroken’ – as Juventus star confirms he will appeal four-year doping ban
Paul Pogba admitted he is ‘heartbroken’ after being handed a four-year ban for doping and confirmed he will appeal the decision to the sport’s highest legal authority.
He tested positive for testosterone after Juventus’ first match of the season and was punished by an anti-doping prosecutor in Italy on Thursday.
Pogba’s lawyers had rejected a plea deal and hoped to get their client a lighter sentence after claiming he accidentally ingested the substance that caused the positive test, DHEA.
However, the prosecutor did not believe Pogba’s defense and he has now been handed a ban that could potentially end his career.
He said: “I have been informed today of the decision of the Tribunale Nazionale Anti-Doping and am of the opinion that the judgment is incorrect.
Paul Pogba has admitted he is ‘heartbroken’ after being handed a four-year ban for doping
Pogba will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the possible career ban
“I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built throughout my professional playing career has been taken away from me.
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“When I am free from legal restrictions the whole story will become clear, but I have never knowingly used supplements that violate anti-doping rules.
“As a professional athlete, I would never do anything to enhance my performance by using banned substances and I have never disrespected or deceived fellow athletes and supporters of the teams I played for or against.
‘As a result of the decision announced today, I will appeal against it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.’
Pogba’s suspension completes a dramatic fall from grace for a player who was once the most expensive footballer in the world.
After coming through United’s academy, Pogba moved to Juventus on a free transfer in 2012 and went on to win four consecutive Serie A titles.
This convinced the Red Devils to bring him back to Old Trafford in 2016 for a world record fee of £89 million.
Pogba won the World Cup with France two years later, scoring in the final against Croatia, but struggled to reach the same heights at club level.
He was once the most expensive player in the world when he signed for Man United for £89 million in 2016
His second spell at Juventus turned out to be a disaster after he rejoined the club in 2022
During his six years back in England, Pogba won the Europa League and League Cup with United but failed to turn them into Premier League title contenders.
In his last match, he limped off after ten minutes as United suffered a dismal 4-0 defeat to bitter rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
He left the thirteen-time Premier League champions for the second time in 2022 on a free transfer to return to Juventus, where he wanted to revive his career.
But his first year back in Turin proved disastrous as he missed most of the campaign due to injury.
Pogba started just one match all season after being sidelined with knee, groin and hamstring problems.
He was named on the bench for their opening match of the 2023/24 season, but was an unused substitute in their 3–0 win over Udinese.
After that match he returned for a test which led to him receiving a four-year ban.
The substance found in his system was DHEA, which can naturally increase testosterone levels.
Pogba requested a test of his B sample, but this too came back positive in October, causing Juventus to consider terminating his contract.
Pogba won the World Cup with France in 2018 and scored in the final against Croatia
He failed to reach the same heights at club level for Man United and left the club in 2022
Pogba’s last game for United saw him limping off after ten minutes of a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool
He was adamant from the start that he had no idea how the substance got into his system and that he was not looking for a sporting advantage.
There was also a previous case in Serie A that suggested Pogba might not receive such a heavy sanction.
In 2018, Brazilian forward Joao Pedro from Cagliari faced a four-year ban after testing positive for a diuretic. Pedro insisted that he had unknowingly consumed contaminated nutritional supplements and, pardon me, his argument was swallowed.
As a result, he was handed a six-month suspension, most of which was served during pre-season.
Perhaps hoping for a similar punishment, Pogba worked to keep himself in shape as he waited to learn his fate.
Pogba kept himself in good shape while waiting for his sentence, but he has now been handed a long-term ban
His agent, Rafaela Pimenta, also claimed in November that he was optimistic about his possible suspension and had not given up hope of playing again.
However, following Thursday’s ruling, he will now have to serve a lengthy suspension.