Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba received a four-year ban for a doping offense; Former Man Utd player is banned until August 2027, when he will turn 34, raising doubts about whether his career will continue after that; Sky Sports News senior reporter Geraint Hughes answers the key questions
By Geraint Hughes, Sky Sports News
6:07, UK, Friday March 1, 2024
Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba said he was “sad, shocked and heartbroken” after being banned from football for four years for a doping offence.
The former Manchester United player was provisionally suspended by Italy's national anti-doping tribunal in September after testing positive for DHEA – a compound that causes the production – following Juve's Serie A match against Udinese on August 20 of hormones in the body, including testosterone, was an unused substitute.
And after the Italian anti-doping organization NADO confirmed the failed test in a second sample in October, the four-year ban requested by the public prosecutor was granted on Thursday.
French football expert Jonathan Johnson believes Pogba will appeal his four-year ban for doping
The ruling means the France international is banned until August 2027, when he turns 34, raising doubts about whether his career will continue after that.
Chief reporter for Sky Sports News Geraint Hughes answers the most important questions below…
How did we get to this stage?
We got there because he failed a standard drug test. It goes through a process with anti-doping.
Italy's national anti-doping agency has joined the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code. It is part of the family of national federations that make up the World Anti-Doping Agency, and they adhere to the protocols and the prohibited list of illegal substances that no athlete is allowed to take. They are illegal and these substances are listed and checked. It's laid out very, very clearly.
There was a possibility of an agreement with the Italian authorities. However, Pogba decided not to go down that route as he is apparently convinced that he is not guilty of this charge. The Italian National Agency went through the courts locally and concluded this four-year ban on Thursday.
Why is Pogba given a four-year ban?
Image: Pogba in action for Juventus against Empoli on September 3rd
This is the standard WADA and Code prohibition. There may be extenuating circumstances.
You can understand the emotional side of it, the sadness, the disappointment, the heartfelt nature of what has gone before in his career and what may come back. But he said in his statement he was shocked. He shouldn't necessarily be shocked because the process when it comes to anti-doping is very, very clear and structured.
Paul Pogba is treated no differently than any other athlete, whether football, rugby, cricket, golf, sprinter or swimmer, any sport on the planet you can imagine.
Does it matter that Pogba said he didn't know he was breaking the rules?
In his statement on Thursday he used the words: “I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any substance.” Yes, you can understand the emotional side of it if he accidentally took something. It does not matter.
The strict liability of an athlete – regardless of sport, regardless of gender – for what goes into their body lies solely with Paul Pogba, as with every other athlete. It doesn't matter if it's Paul Pogba, those are the rules.
What options does Pogba have now?
He now has another opportunity to appeal to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). We have heard so much over the last decade about athletes and teams filing complaints or appeals with CAS.
They will go through anything. They are an appeal tribunal for an athlete or organization and will examine the Pogba case and determine whether the sanction imposed was consistent with WADA's rules.
Image: Pogba won the 2018 World Cup with France – the biggest trophy of his career to date
WADA is also very clear. Since this goes to CAS, if they upheld and agreed to an appeal from Pogba, WADA would have the right to appeal. Ultimately, it could end up not only in the TAS court, but also in the Swiss courts, since the TAS falls under the jurisdiction of the Swiss federal courts.
So if CAS agrees with Paul Pogba, this could still be a long way off. If they do not do this and agree to the sanction of the Italian national doping authority, his case will be diminished.
Many, many athletes have been in this position before and this is a difficult and challenging time for him. If the CAS doesn't go his way, he won't have much maneuverability after that.
If Pogba fails in his appeal, will his career be over?
French football expert Jonathan Johnson speaking to Sky Sports News:
If the ban is confirmed for this period, I think he will look back on his career and be happy with what he achieved with his country, although there is a feeling that he should have won at least one European title .
But if you are Pogba, the priority is not to derail your career, but to do your best to get back on the pitch and shorten the ban by at least a year. If he tried to get back to 32 or 33, that might be a little more doable than 34 or 35.
Image: Pogba previously played for Man Utd in the Premier League
The debate is legitimate. Yes, he won the World Cup and was a fantastic player in his time, arguably better at international level than at club level when it comes to consistency.
But I think this is a talent that we always talk about going unfulfilled. He may still have a few years left in his career, but there is an overwhelming feeling that even before this suspension, Pogba was always going to be one of those players who could have won it all, won the biggest individual awards, but he fell short of his natural talent and never quite lived up to the hype that surrounded him at the start of his career.
And there is an expectation that Juventus will likely terminate his contract if the ban is confirmed for any duration. We will have to wait for the final sanction to be imposed before this decision is taken, but there is a real feeling in France that this is what will happen in the end.
The timeline of Pogba's doping offenses…
Image: Pogba has only played two games this season and has not featured since September
August 20, 2023 – Pogba is an unused substitute in Juventus' game against Udinese. After the game, he undergoes a standard drug test and tests positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) – a compound that promotes the production of hormones in the body, including testosterone.
August 27 and September 3, 2023: Pogba will come on as a second-half substitute in Juventus' next two games against Bologna and Empoli.
September 2023: Pogba's failed test is announced and he is given a precautionary suspension by Juventus. Pogba asks for a counter-analysis to the original test.
October 2023: The test result is positive. Sky Sports News reports that Pogba will try to clear his name. Pogba's agent Rafaela Pimenta emphasized: “Paul never wanted to break the rules.”
December 2023: Anti-doping prosecutors in Italy requested a maximum ban of four years following his positive doping test. This is the standard duration for any anti-doping violation under the WADA Code. Pogba has the opportunity to reach a settlement but chooses not to, meaning the case will be heard by the country's anti-doping court.
February 2024: Italy's National Anti-Doping Tribunal (TNA) accepted the anti-doping prosecutor's request to impose the four-year ban. In a statement, Pogba revealed that he would like to appeal against this to CAS. If he is successful in his appeal, WADA has the right to appeal that appeal. If so, this appeal could be heard in the Swiss federal courts.
August 2027: Pogba's ban will apply from the moment he first tested positive, meaning he will be out of action until August 2027. He will be 34 when he returns and will be 35 in March 2028.