TheCable

Paul Pogba, Juventus midfielder, has been banned from football for four years due to doping.

Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal (NADO) gave the verdict on Thursday as the former Manchester United player chose to defend his innocence instead of a plea bargain.

The French World Cup winner was provisionally suspended in September following a failed drug test.

He was randomly selected for testing after Juventus’ first game of the season in August and tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone in his system. Pogba was an unused substitute in the match.

A second test of his sample in October confirmed the failed drug test — a charge Pogba had denied — as Italy’s anti-doping agency pushed for the standard four-year ban for the 30-year-old player.

The four-year suspension means Pogba will return to football in 2027 at the age of 34 years and will miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup if France qualify.

Pogba returned to Juventus for a second spell in 2022 but has struggled for game time due to injuries. He has played only eight Serie A matches for Juventus, including two this season before his provisional suspension.