Pogba Breaks Silence On 4-Year Football Ban

Paul Pogba, a French footballer, has broken his silence following a four-year doping penalty.

He tested positive for testosterone following Juventus’ first game of the season and was sentenced by an anti-doping prosecutor’s office in Italy on Thursday.

Pogba’s lawyers had turned down a plea agreement and sought to secure their client a lower punishment by saying he had mistakenly ingested the drug that prompted the positive test, DHEA.

However, the prosecution did not believe Pogba’s defence, and he has now been issued a ban that might ruin his career.

He said: “I have today been informed of the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping’s decision and believe that the verdict is incorrect.

“I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me.

“When I am free of legal restrictions the full story will become clear, but I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations.

“As a professional athlete, I would never do anything to enhance my performance by using banned substances and have never disrespected or cheated fellow athletes and supporters of any of the teams I have played for, or against.

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“As a consequence of the decision announced today, I will appeal this before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”

Pogba’s suspension caps a spectacular fall from grace for a man who was once the most expensive footballer in the world.

After graduating from United’s academy, Pogba joined Juventus on a free transfer in 2012 and went on to win four consecutive Serie A titles.

He returned to Old Trafford in 2016 for a world record cost of £89 million.

Pogba won the World Cup with France two years later, scoring in the final against Croatia, but has struggled to achieve the same success at club level.

Pogba won the Europa League and League Cup with United during his six-year return to England, but he failed to transform the club into a Premier League title contender.

He left the 13-time Premier League champions on a free transfer for the second time in 2022 to return to Juventus, where he hoped to rekindle his career.

Pogba started only one game this season due to knee, groyne, and hamstring injuries.

He was named to the bench for their first match of the 2023-24 season but did not play in their 3-0 victory over Udinese.

Following the match, he returned a test, which resulted in a four-year ban.

The drug detected in his system was DHEA, which can naturally increase testosterone levels.

Pogba requested that his B-sample be tested, but it also came back positive in October, causing Juventus to consider terminating his contract.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli