Paul Pogba is the controversial Juventus midfielder. In his youth, he was considered a promising star, who had the makings of Messi and Ronaldo. But, as often happens, I received big contracts and began to regress.
In the previous Serie A season, Pogba played only six matches: he suffered from injuries, was unable to get in shape and even thought about ending his career at 30 years old. In the new season, things are even worse: after the first round match against Udinese, Pogba passed a positive doping test.
What banned substance was found on Pogba?
Pogba spent the entire match against Udinese on the bench. But he came on as a substitute in the following matches against Bologna and Empoli, although he did not even play 30 minutes.
Pogba’s tests revealed elevated levels of testosterone, one of the main male hormones responsible for muscle and bone mass. The footballer was given three days to request additional tests.
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If the positive result is confirmed and the player is found guilty, he will appear before the Italian National Anti-Doping Committee. While Pogba is temporarily suspended:
“The Anti-Doping Tribunal has taken steps to suspend athlete Paul Pogba as a precautionary measure. Testosterone metabolites of non-endogenous origin have been discovered.”
Rafaela Pimenta, the Frenchman’s agent, defends the client: “We are waiting for additional tests, until the results we cannot share our opinion. One thing is certain: Pogba never wanted to break the rules.”
What’s at stake for Pogba?
According to experts, Pogba faces up to two years of disqualification. If it is proven that Pogba took doping intentionally, the sentence could increase to four years.
The popularity of testosterone as a doping is due to its strong effect on muscle strength and mass. It affects the breakdown of fat cells. Testosterone-induced muscle cell growth is due to the activation of satellite cells and the growth of muscle cell nuclei.
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Pogba is considered a symbol of wasted talent — he did not realize his potential. But the footballer was eager to prove the opposite: he refused to move to Saudi Arabia and dreamed of playing in Europe again.
“I aged 10 years in 7 months. The last season is the most difficult test in life. Ending my career would mean admitting defeat. I have to move forward and look for the positives. This will be my main victory in life,” Pogba said before the start of the season.
This is a fairly rare case in modern football when a top player is caught doping. Recently, another scandal broke out in Italian football — Juventus was caught in financial fraud.