Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba faces the prospect of a possible four-year ban from football after returning a positive B sample for testosterone.
The former Manchester United man was provisionally suspended from the sport by the Italian Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) last month, as he failed a random test taken after August's Serie A win over Udinese.
Pogba's first sample showed abnormally high levels of testosterone, a hormone which promotes muscle growth and can increase endurance in athletes, and he immediately requested a counter-analysis.
The Frenchman's agent Rafaela Pimenta insisted that Pogba "never wanted to break the rules" following his first positive test, while Bianconeri head coach Massimiliano Allegri claimed that he felt "sorry" for the midfielder in Friday's press conference.
Now, Pogba's B sample has been confirmed as positive, meaning that the World Cup winner could be banned for up to four years under FIFA regulations, with the minimum sanction being two years.
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However, should Pogba be able to prove that his doping violation was involuntary - for example taking a contaminated substance - then the France international's suspension could be reduced.
According to The Athletic, Pogba's two choices are to either present his defence to the Anti-Doping Tribunal's prosecutor, Pierfilippo Laviani, within the next week, or submit for questioning.
Should the Juventus man decide to enter a plea bargain, any ban could potentially be halved, meaning that a one-year suspension could be on the cards if he is originally banned for two years.
Alternatively, the anti-doping prosecutor's office could still dismiss the case against Pogba, whose punishment would be determined at a tribunal if a trial proceeds.
The former Le Havre youngster has endured a nightmarish return to Turin since running down his contract at Man United last year, having missed most of the 2022-23 season through injury.
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A serious knee injury and subsequent operation ruled Pogba out of the 2022 World Cup, and he did not make his second debut for Allegri's side until the end of February in a 4-2 Turin derby success over Torino.
Calf and hamstring problems also restricted Pogba to a mere 10 appearances in the 2022-23 season, while he was an unused substitute against Udinese before his first positive doping test.
The 30-year-old then made a pair of substitute appearances against Bologna and Empoli prior to the September international break, but he then re-entered the treatment room with back pain after the latter game.
Pogba remains contracted to Juventus until the summer of 2026, but should the lynchpin be slapped with a lengthy suspension, the Bianconeri will be expected to terminate his deal.
Juventus occupy fourth place in the Serie A table and are back in action against local rivals Torino on Saturday evening.
Ben Knapton
