Paul Pogba has been handed a four-year ban from football for doping, it was confirmed on Thursday.
The former Manchester United star returned a sample showing elevated levels of testosterone in August and a second test sample has now confirmed the findings of the first sample.
Italian media reports that Pogba’s lawyers had rejected a plea deal in the case, hoping to secure a lighter punishment for the Juventus midfielder.
Plea deal rejected but prosecution did not believe Pogba’s defence
However, the prosecution did not believe the defence put forward, which was that Pogba had accidentally ingested a substance that affected his blood test result.
The suspension means Pogba will not be able to play professional football again until he is 34 years old.
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The 2018 World Cup winner has been plagued by injuries in recent years and the prospects of him returning to a top-level career at the end of his ban seem slim.
BREAKING 🚨: Paul Pogba has been banned from football for four years for a doping offence, according to Sky 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/S4Wa6foCPY
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 29, 2024
Pogba was once the most expensive footballer in the world, joining Manchester United from Juventus in 2016 for a fee of around £90million.
Pogba spent six years at Old Trafford but showed only glimpses of his quality and went back to Juventus on a free transfer in 2022.
He has played just 12 times for Juventus since returning on a four-year contract, which will have expired by the time he is eligible to return to the pitch.
