Pogba set to appear before anti-doping tribunal
Following a positive testosterone test earlier this year, suspended Juventus and France midfielder, Paul Pogba is scheduled to appear before Italy’s anti-doping tribunal on January 18.
After the National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADO) tribunal hearing in Rome, Paul Pogba might be subjected to a lengthy ban from football.
Recall that the former Manchester United midfielder and 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has been temporarily suspended from football since September by NADO pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
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A statement from NADO quoted by the AFP reads: “The National Anti-doping Tribunal informs that, in acceptance of the instance proposed by the National Antidoping Prosecutor, it has provided for the provisional suspension of the athlete Paul Labile Pogba”.
The anti-doping prosecutors has asked for a four-year suspension for the 30-year-old Paul Pogba. If the Frenchman receives such a lengthy suspension, that could be the end of his professional football career.
Pogba’s anticipated punishment can be reduced by half if he can demonstrate that he did not intentionally use the illegal testosterone medication.
On the other hand, his punishment might only last a few months if he can demonstrate that the prohibited substance was taken out of competition and had no impact on his performance.
His lawyers asserted last month that the source of the testosterone was a nutritional supplement that he took on the advice of a US physician.
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However, NADO claimed that the “prohibited substance detected: Non-endogenous testosterone metabolites,” was consistent with doping.