Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba has been provisionally suspended after a doping control detected the banned substance testosterone, Italian anti-doping authorities (NADO) told AFP on Monday.
“The 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,” NADO said in a statement to AFP.
NADO said the “prohibited substance detected: Non-endogenous testosterone metabolites”, was consistent with a doping infringement.
The Italian press reported that the doping test was carried out on the opening day of the Italian Serie A season, a 3-0 win at Udinese on August 20, during which the 30-year-old was an unused substitute.
The test concerns the ‘A’ sample, and if the ‘B’ sample also tests positive for testosterone Pogba could face a four-year ban.
NADO sent a statement Monday to clarify reports from earlier in the day in the Italian press regarding Pogba, who was hoping to play for Juventus against Lazio this weekend.
Pogba was a star player in France’s 2018 World Cup triumph but had an awful 2022-2023 season blighted by injury and a blackmail affair.
He played just ten games for Juventus that season and missed the 2022 World Cup with France.