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Julien Laurens, Correspondent
France and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been banned for four years for a doping offence, sources have told ESPN and the Associated Press.
Pogba was provisionally suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping (NADO Italia) tribunal in September after testing positive for testosterone — a banned substance.
Italian prosecutors requested a maximum four-year ban in December.
Pogba tested positive for testosterone after Juventus’ game against Udinese on Aug. 20 2023. He did not play in the match but was on the bench.
Reports claim Pogba will appeal against the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. ESPN has contacted Pogba’s representatives for comment.
The 30-year-old returned to Juventus in 2022 after his second stint at Manchester United. Since his return to Italy he was hampered by injuries.
He was ruled out of France’s run to the World Cup final in 2022 due to a knee injury.
There has also been a police investigation ongoing in France into allegations that Pogba was targeted by extortionists — including by his older brother Mathias, who has denied any wrongdoing.
Information from The Associated Press and Reuters was used in this story.