World Cup winner Paul Pogba banned 4 years for doping

Once one of the world’s top midfielders, Paul Pogba was banned for the maximum four years by Italy’s anti-doping court on Thursday after the World Cup winner tested positive for testosterone while at Juventus.

ROME — It’s looking more and more like Paul Pogba’s career is heading to a premature end.

Once one of the world’s top midfielders, Pogba was banned for the maximum four years by Italy’s anti-doping court on Thursday after the World Cup winner tested positive for testosterone while at Juventus.

Even though Pogba said he would appeal to the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, the verdict is unlikely to be overturned by the France international — who turns 31 next month — because he didn’t demonstrate any mitigating reasons for his failed test.

The positive result was announced in September, stemming from an exam that was carried out on Aug. 20 after Juventus’ game at Udinese. Pogba did not play in the Serie A match but was on the bench.

Pogba opted not to make a plea bargain with Italy’s anti-doping agency so the case was tried before the country’s anti-doping court. A person with direct knowledge of the case confirmed the verdict to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the sentence was not made public due to Italy’s privacy laws.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/world-cup-winner-paul-pogba-banned-4-years-doping-rcna141244

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