New Delhi: Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba has been provisionally suspended from playing because of an anti-doping offence, Italy's national anti-doping tribunal (NADO Italia) said.
The tribunal said Pogba returned a test with elevated levels of testosterone after Juventus' 3-0 win at Udinese on August 20, according to BBC.
NADO Italia said Pogba had violated anti-doping rules when they found the prohibited substance "non-endogenous testosterone metabolites", adding that the results were "consistent with the exogenous origin of the target compounds".
Testosterone is a hormone that increases the endurance of athletes. Pogba has three days to produce a counter-analysis of the result to NADO.If found guilty of doping, he could be banned from football for up to four years.
Juventus released a statement acknowledging the failed test and said they were considering their next steps.
"Juventus Football Club announces that today, September 11, 2023, the footballer Paul Labile Pogba received a precautionary suspension order from the National Anti-Doping Tribunal following the results of tests carried out on August 20, 2023. The club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps," it said in a statement.
Pogba, who was an unused substitute in Juve's win against Udinese, has faced a challenging period since rejoining the Serie A club from Manchester United in 2022.
The 2018 World Cup winner missed most of last season with knee and hamstring injuries and was also absent from France’s run to the World Cup final in Qatar due to knee surgery.
—IANS