Paul Pogba and Juventus have been holding their breath since this symbolic date of September 11, 2023 when the French midfielder tested positive for testosterone during a meeting against Udinese at the very start of the season, during which, ironically, the The former Manchester United player hadn’t even entered the pitch. All parties subsequently awaited the result of the counter-analyses scheduled for October which ultimately confirmed the positive test for testosterone, as well as the backup sample. Even if the first step towards the sanction had already been taken, namely a precautionary suspension by the Anti-Doping Tribunal with a minimum salary of 40,000 euros and exclusion from the professional group for training, Paul Pogba had seven days to present his defense and arguments in order to avoid a very heavy sanction for having violated articles 2.1 and 2.2 of the Codice Sportivo Antidoping di NADO Italia (CSA).
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Hopes for a result different from the initial counter-analysis were already greatly reduced: the National Anti-Doping Tribunal, in the presence of the expert appointed by the 2018 World Champion, had to decide whether he was referred or not. The sanction with confirmation of the positive result then varied from two to four years, provided that the player was able to demonstrate that the hiring of the product was involuntary. We then had to wait for the arguments of the former Red Devils player as well as the investigation carried out by Mr. Pierfilippo Laviani, which began in October, in order to know the official sanction. After trying to assess a possible formal defect, which could have changed the fate of the case, Pogba’s entourage, who turned to an English law firm, changed their defense strategy: ignorance of hiring could therefore not completely exonerate the mid-30s.
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A 4 year suspension!
The Italian newspaper of La Gazzetta dello Sport spoke last November of advanced negotiations between Paul Pogba and local Italian authorities. The French midfielder had to reach an agreement with these local authorities to prove the non-intentionality of taking the product, which thus prevented him from filing an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). But with an agreement reached, the former Manchester United player could have been assured of seeing his suspension blocked at two years, while the 4-year suspension still hung over the 2018 World Champion.
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In the end, the worst scenario was chosen. There Republicthe Gazzetta dello Sport et Goal Italia announced in unison that the prosecutor’s requests had been accepted and that Pogba had received a four-year suspension. From now on, the Old Lady will have the right to terminate the contract of the former Manchester United player or to pay him the minimum wage until the end of his contract, i.e. June 2026. Which seems very unlikely. Because the disqualification of Paul Pogba runs from September 11, 2023 to September 10, 2027.
Pub. 02/29/2024 12:46 Updated 02/29/2024 1:05 p.m.
2024-02-29 11:46:39
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