Juventus star faces doping allegations: Lawyers seek lighter sentence
In early September, the news broke that Juventus player Paul Pogba had been implicated in a doping scandal. Detected testosterone levels in his system raised alarms. His legal team is currently working tirelessly to get the French representative back in the game as quickly as possible. However, what penalties could he be potentially confronting?
4:01 PM EST, December 9, 2023
Paul Pogba's career is at a crossroads. When Manchester United secured him in 2016 with a contract worth over $110 million, he became the world's highest-cost soccer player. The midfielder later returned to Juventus, but this newest venture with the "Old Lady" has proven to be fraught with challenges.
Recall that the French soccer star was implicated in a doping incident in September—testosterone was found in his system. Following this, Sample B was tested and yielded a positive result, indicating significant challenges ahead for Pogba.
The test was performed on August 20, during the Juventus' match against Udinese. Intriguingly, although Pogba was not on the field that day, he was part of the team and hence, selected for testing.
The footballer has since been suspended. He is not allowed to play in matches or even train with the team. According to "La Gazzetta dello Sport", the 30-year-old maintains his fitness at home under the watchful eye of a personal trainer.
The future for Pogba's career remains uncertain. He could face a potential soccer ban lasting up to four years. However, as revealed by reporters from the English "Daily Mail", his legal representation will be endeavoring to secure a smaller disqualification, possibly lasting until 2025.
Significantly, in terms of financial implications, Paul Pogba used to earn as much as 8 million euros annually, making his contract one of the highest in Serie A. However, his income has seen a significant reduction to about 46,200 dollars annually, following the positive anti-doping test result.
Pogba's disappointing performance in Juventus
Since the 2022/2023 season, Paul Pogba has only taken part in 8 league matches for Juventus. For this current season, he only received 54 minutes on the field from coach Massimiliano Allegri.
