Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been provisionally suspended from football after failing a doping test.
The 30-year-old French international tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone following Juve’s 3-0 win over Udinese on August 20.
Pogba is the latest in a long line of footballers to be banned for doping. Here are some other notable cases:
- Diego Maradona: The Argentine legend was banned for 15 months in 1991 after testing positive for cocaine.
- Adrian Mutu: The Romanian striker was banned for seven months in 2004 after testing positive for cocaine.
- Mark Bosnich: The Australian goalkeeper was banned for nine months in 2003 after testing positive for nandrolone.
- Kolo Toure: The Ivorian defender was banned for six months in 2011 after testing positive for hydrochlorothiazide.
- Samir Nasri: The French midfielder was banned for six months in 2016 after testing positive for a banned diuretic.
Doping is a serious offense in football and can result in lengthy bans. The consequences of doping can be far-reaching, not only for the individual player, but also for their team and the sport as a whole.
Pogba has denied any wrongdoing and has said that he is “shocked and disappointed” by the provisional suspension. He is currently appealing the decision.
The case against Pogba is still ongoing, but it is a reminder of the dangers of doping in football. It is also a reminder that even the biggest stars in the game are not immune to the temptation to cheat.
