Paul Pogba has admitted he is ‘heartbroken’ after receiving a four-year ban for doping and confirmed he will appeal the decision with sport’s highest legal authority.
The 30-year-old tested positive for testosterone after Juventus’ first game of the season against Udinese, and was given his hefty punishment by an anti-doping prosecutor’s office in Italy on Thursday.
Pogba’s lawyers had rejected a plea deal and hoped to get their client a lighter sentence after claiming he had accidentally ingested the substance that caused the positive test.
However, the prosecution did not believe Pogba’s defence, and he has now been given a ban that could potentially end his career.
He said: ‘I have today been informed of the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping’s decision and believe that the verdict is incorrect.
Paul Pogba has admitted he is ‘heartbroken’ after receiving a four-year ban for doping
Pogba will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the potentially career-ending ban
‘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.
‘As a consequence of the decision announced today I will appeal this before 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 proceeded to win four straight Serie A titles.
This convinced the Red Devils to bring him back to Old Trafford in 2016 for a world-record fee of £89m.
Pogba won the World Cup with France two years later, scoring in the final against Croatia, but struggled to hit the same heights at club level.
He was once the most expensive player in the world when he signed for Man United for £89m in 2016
His second spell at Juventus has proved 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.
His final game saw him limp off after 10 minutes as United slumped to a dismal 4-0 defeat against bitter rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
He left the 13-time Premier League champions on a free transfer for the second time in 2022 to go back to Juventus as he aimed to resurrect his career.
But his first year back in Turin proved disastrous as he missed the majority of the campaign due to injury.
Pogba started just one game all season after being sidelined with knee, groin and hamstring problems.
More to follow.
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