Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been handed a four-year ban after testing positive for doping.
The 30-year old France international was provisionally suspended by a tribunal of Italy’s national anti-doping organisation (NADO Italia) in September after testing positive for DHEA – a banned substance which naturally raises levels of testosterone.
The ban starts from when Pogba first tested positive, so the France international is banned until August 2027. He will be 34 years old when the ban stops, raising doubts over whether his career will continue after that.
Pogba has denied any wrongdoing and in a statement masde on Thursday, he confirmed he will appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
“I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me,” Pogba said in a statement on Thursday.
“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,” he added, referring to sport’s highest court.
Juventus did not comment but a source confirmed that the club had been notified about the decision of a four-year ban and would assess the next steps.
