The future of Uventus midfielder and France international Paul Pogba remains in doubt after Italy's national prosecutor asked for a four-year football ban following a trial good for testosterone in September.
Pogba, a member of the France team that won the 2018 World Cup, has had a career marred by injuries and other issues that have caused him to miss playing time.
Due to a knee injury that he first said would prevent him from playing before having surgery, he has missed the entire 2022 World Cup. He has also not played since his brief suspension following the announcement of his positive test three months prior.
Paul Pogba appears like this; Juventus is a filthy but incredible team. Doping regardless of intensity is a serious crime in Italy. "I can confirm that we received a notice from the anti-doping agency this morning asking for a four-year (suspension)," a club spokesman told AFP.
Pogba's officials said the testosterone found in his system came from a dietary supplement prescribed by an American doctor. The sentence could be shortened from four years to two years if he can prove his innocence, or it could be shortened by a few months if he shows he hasn't improved his behavior.
A promising athlete may lose out on opportunities to live up to expectations if he is banned from the sport. The 30-year-old's career has been marred not only by injuries, but also by contract disputes and attempted takeovers.
In his last three seasons at Manchester United, he missed eight times through injury. A torn meniscus, calf strain and hamstring injury sidelined him for more than a month. His brother tried to reveal the "truth" about Pogba to the public and accused him of "hiring a magician to give information to Kylian Mbappe's friend".
Pogba says he's considering retirement because of the allegations. In 2022, Manchester United offered him two contracts to keep him in the team. The club paid him a weekly salary of over £290,000, but he felt as if they were not going to give him that.
"From a human point of view, I feel sorry for Paul," Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said via ESPN last October.