Paul Pogba reportedly took medication without telling Juventus’ medical staff, which led to his failed drug test, and Juventus would have a very solid case to terminate his contract, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
In the blood test performed following the 3-0 Serie A victory away to Udinese on August 20, the midfielder had increased testosterone levels despite spending the entire game on the bench.
Over the next few days, a counter-analysis of the B Sample will be conducted, but more information about what transpired is starting to surface, and it does not look good for Pogba.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, he allegedly told the club that he took a vitamin integrator when visiting the United States over the summer on the advice of a friend who practices medicine, without first confirming this information with Juventus’ medical team.
This would be a major oversight given the lax American regulations regarding what ingredients must be listed on the label and the fact that vitamin integrators imported from the US were also to blame for the early 2000s spike in nandrolone positive tests, which are testosterone metabolites. These tests were found in a number of Serie A clubs, including Juventus.
After a string of positive tests, the players and Serie A club doctors decided to coordinate on everything they consumed and cross-reference everything to make sure nothing included any undeclared illegal drugs.
Juventus would have a very good case to put the full blame on Pogba and cancel the contract if he admitted to taking this medicine without consulting the medical personnel.
It might be too alluring an opportunity to pass up given his ongoing injury issues and enormous compensation.
The suspension could be for up to two years even if he can demonstrate that he wasn’t intentionally intending to use a performance-enhancing substance.
