The Italian National Anti-Doping Prosecutor’s Office has requested a four-year suspension against Paul Pogba, the maximum penalty.
The end of Paul Pogba’s career may be imminent. This Thursday, December 7, the national anti-doping prosecutor’s office requested a four-year suspension against the 2018 world champion, the maximum for this type of offense. Suspended since September 11 due to a positive test for testosterone after the match against Udinese (August 20), the midfielder had his B sample confirmed as a positive test a few weeks ago. A possible agreement between the two parties could have led to a reduction of the suspension to two years, but Gazzetta explains that the discussions could not succeed. For the moment, the player’s entourage pleads the unintentional and off-field capture. “If the athlete can establish that an ingestion or use took place out of competition and unrelated to sporting performance, then the period of suspension will be three months of ineligibility” explains the Italian code.
Why did Paul Pogba test positive?
As indicated La Gazzetta dello Sport, the French midfielder from Juventus Turin would have taken a food supplement recommended by a doctor friend. This product would come from the United States, where anti-doping rules are not necessarily the same as in Europe. Still according to the daily, Paul Pogba would have mainly acted without having informed his club. The 2018 world champion was checked after the opening day of Serie A between Udinese and Juve, during which he remained on the bench.
What is testosterone used for?
If Paul Pogba took testosterone, what can this molecule be used for? First of all, and you probably all know this, testosterone is a molecule naturally secreted by the human body. The latter can also be administered to increase sexual desire or treat erectile dysfunction. Testosterone is also sometimes used to treat certain types of breast cancer, hypogonadism (pubertal delay) or even gender dysphoria. It is also used to combat depression and sleep disorders.
But in sports, this product is used mainly to increase muscle mass. It is also considered a psycho stimulant giving extra motivation and focus. Thanks to the development of muscle mass, resistance to physical effort is also improved. For Paul Pogba, it is now time to find out if the surplus is natural or if it is due to an injection.