Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been provisionally suspended after failing a drug test, Italian anti-doping agency Nado Italia announced Monday via The Associated Press.
Pogba tested positive for testosterone that was not produced by his own body. The test was administered Aug. 20 following Juventus’ 3-0 win over Udinese. Pogba was an unused sub and did not play.
This failed drug test is just the latest development in what has been a disastrous reunion between Pogba and Juventus. In July 2022, Pogba left Manchester United, where he’d played for six years, and signed a four-year contract to play for Juventus, the team he played for from 2012 to 2016. It was an attempt to prove that he’s still one of the most talented players in the game, and thus far, it has backfired spectacularly. Since he arrived, he has played just over 160 minutes, with a meniscus injury and various muscle issues limiting his time.
Pogba, 30, has experienced far more success in his career than he has been seeing lately. Born in France, Pogba has played for the French national team since 2013 and helped them win the World Cup in 2018. During his first stint with Juventus, he helped them win two Serie A titles and end their 12-year UEFA Champions League final drought, and he earned numerous individual performance awards. His success with Juventus is why his signing with Manchester United in 2016 broke records at the time for the highest transfer fee paid. But things have changed quite a bit since then.
Now that Pogba has been provisionally suspended, the next step in the process is additional testing. Pogba has three days to request that his B sample be tested. If the result of that test confirms the presence of artificial testosterone, Italian sports publication SportsMediaset reported that Pogba could face a ban of up to two years, which could turn into a four years if Nado Italia can prove Pogba took the testosterone intentionally.
Neither Pogba, Juventus nor Serie A have commented about the positive test.
