Pogba caught doping: The end of his career?

Paul Pogba has traded in dabbing for doping. The Juventus midfielder was handed a four-year ban from the sport on Thursday after failing an anti-doping test.

• Italy’s anti-doping organization (NADO) provisionally suspended Pogba in September after he tested positive for testosterone following a Serie A match in August, for which he was on the bench.

• After a second sample taken in October also returned a positive result, Italian prosecutors requested NADO hand Pogba a four-year ban – the maximum punishment for a doping offense.

But Pogba thinks he’s innocent. The World Cup-winner released a statement insisting he has never taken banned substances and will appeal the ruling in court.

Several of Pogba’s current and former teammates voiced their support on social media, and Pogba’s wife maintained her husband’s innocence in a separate statement that read: "The truth will always prevail my king, stay strong as you always have been."

What’s next?

Pogba and his team are gearing up for a lengthy court battle. NADO has 30 days to provide the written reasons for its judgement to Pogba’s lawyers, who will then have 20 days to prepare an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.

But, the evidence against their client is damning.

“A tremendous waste of talent”

Regardless of the outcome of the trial, it’ll be a long time before Pogba plays again. But, that’s nothing new for the 30-year-old, who’s only played 213 minutes in a year and a half and has grown more accustomed to life in front of a ring light than stadium floodlights.

If the ban is upheld, Pogba won’t be eligible to play again until he’s 35, at which point he won’t have played regularly for almost six years. With career earning estimated at $125 million and a CV that includes a World Cup, four Serie A titles, and a Europa League title, don’t be surprised if he never steps foot on the pitch again. 😢