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Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been provisionally suspended by Italy\u2019s national anti-doping tribunal after returning an adverse sample.<\/p>\n
The France international tested positive for testosterone in a random drugs test following Juventus\u2019 Serie A game against Udinese on August 20, when he was an unused substitute.<\/p>\n
After the Italian anti-doping body issued a statement on Monday evening confirming Pogba\u2019s suspension, Juventus said the club would now consider \u201cthe next procedural steps\u201d.<\/p>\n
If found guilty of doping, a suspension of between two and four years could be handed out to Pogba.<\/p>\n
\u201cJuventus 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,\u201d a statement from the Serie A side read.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps.\u201d<\/p>\n
Italy\u2019s national anti-doping tribunal confirmed Pogba\u2019s positive sample for testosterone.<\/p>\n
A statement from the anti-doping body read: \u201cThe National Antidoping 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 (FIGC) for the violation of articles 2.1, 2.2; prohibited substance detected: Non-endogenous testosterone metabolites (The GC\/c\/IRMS results are consistent with the exogenous origin of the target compounds).\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier on Monday, former Manchester United midfielder Pogba said he was almost driven to walk away from football after allegedly being blackmailed by an organised crime gang.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old\u2019s brother Mathias was detained in September 2022 on suspicion of involvement in the alleged plot, which Paul Pogba claimed amounted to a bid to extort \u00a311.1million from him.<\/p>\n
Mathias Pogba was released in December and denies the charges.<\/p>\n
Sometimes it’s tough. This life, you have to go through it. It will only make me stronger.<\/p>\n
Paul Pogba reported the incident to Turin prosecutors in July of last year, shortly after leaving Manchester United on a free transfer in order to rejoin Juventus.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Paul Pogba said: \u201cWhen there is money you have to be careful. Money changes people. It can break up a family. It can create a war.<\/p>\n
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\u201cSometimes I was just by myself thinking: \u2018I don\u2019t want to have money anymore. I just don\u2019t want to play anymore. I just want to be with normal people, so they will love me for me \u2013 not for the fame, not for the money.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes it\u2019s tough. This life, you have to go through it. It will only make me stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laure Beccuau, a Paris prosecutor, said the investigation was looking into allegations of \u201cblackmail by an armed gang, kidnapping and membership of a criminal conspiracy\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mathias Pogba is himself a professional footballer, with the 33-year-old having represented Crewe, Crawley, Wrexham and Partick Thistle, as well as the national team of Guinea.<\/p>\n
He is currently without a club after leaving French lower-league side Belfort in 2022.<\/p>\n