Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba suspended for doping

Juventus’s France midfielder Paul Pogba has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance, Italy’s national anti-doping (NADO Italia) tribunal said on Monday.

The test, performed after Juve’s 3-0 Serie A season-opening victory at Udinese on August 20, detected testosterone, a hormone that increases athletes’ endurance.

If found guilty of doping, he could face a ban of between two and four years.

Juventus said in a statement: “Juventus Football Club announces that today, 11 September, 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 20 August, 2023.

“The club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps.”

Pogba’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.

“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” Pimenta added.