Paul Pogba’s agent has insisted that his client ‘never wanted to break the rules’ after he was found to have committed a doping violation.
The France and Juventus midfielder is facing a ban of up to four years after testing positive for testosterone
The 30-year-old is reported to have tested positive after his club’s Serie A fixture against Udinese on August 20, a game in which he did not play.
He has now been suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal on an initial precautionary basis and has three days to request a B sample.
Though he may not be innocent, Pogba’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, has leaped to his defense in a newly-released statement.
Though Pogba’s positive test was given three games ago, he has since played a part in Juventus’ games against Bologna and Empoli since the Udinese fixture as the results were analysed.
The maximum suspension in such cases is four years – an initial two-year ban, which can be doubled if it is proven that the substance was taken deliberately.
Juventus confirmed Pogba’s provisional suspension in a club statement on Monday night.
The statement read: ‘Juventus Football Club announces that today, September 11, 2023, the footballer Paul Labile Pogba received a precautionary suspension order from the National Anti-Doping Tribunal following the results of tests carried out on August 20, 2023.
‘The club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps.’
Pogba rejoined Juventus from Manchester United in the summer of 2022 on a free transfer after six years back in the Premier League.
