Former Manchester United player Paul Pogba suspended after positive doping test

CARLO CASTELLANI STADIUM, EMPOLI, ITALY - 2023/09/03: Paul Pogba of Juventus FC during the Serie A football match between Empoli FC and Juventus FC. Juventus won 2-0 over Empoli. (Photo by Andrea Staccioli/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images)
CARLO CASTELLANI STADIUM, EMPOLI, ITALY - 2023/09/03: Paul Pogba of Juventus FC during the Serie A football match between Empoli FC and Juventus FC. Juventus won 2-0 over Empoli. (Photo by Andrea Staccioli/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has been suspended by Italy’s National Anti-Doping tribunal after failing a doping test.

The current Juventus player had high levels of testosterone in his system, after Ansa reported that a random doping test was conducted after the Serie A match between Juventus and Udinese on August 20.

The World Cup winner’s fall from public grace has been there for all to see after a series of unfortunate events over the last few years. His injury problems have just been a taster of what has been going wrong in his career, providing much of an anti-climax to his United career and also his second spell in Turin. Long-time friend and agent Mino Raola passed away in April 2022 as well.

Pogba recently sat down with Al Jazeera before the doping news broke, mentioning that he contemplated retiring after the blackmail plot involving his brother last year. After making his comeback to the Juventus team this season, the news couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Frenchman – having only made 12 appearances for Juventus since he left Manchester United on a free transfer last summer.

He is currently only provisionally suspended but if found guilty by the tribunal, he could face a two year ban from football. If he is found to have took the substance intentionally, he could face up to four years out.

Pogba made 233 appearances for Manchester United between 233 appearances in two separate spells, winning the Europa League and Carabao Cup under José Mourinho.