Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has received a four-year football ban following a failed drug test in August.
The 30-year-old tested positive for testosterone after Juventus's first game of the season against Udinese, and the anti-doping prosecutor's office in Italy issued the severe punishment on Thursday.
Despite Pogba's lawyers rejecting a plea deal and asserting an accidental ingestion defense, the prosecution remained unconvinced, resulting in a potentially career-ending ban.
Pogba intends to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Turning 31 next month, a successful appeal would still keep him off the pitch until almost 35.
This suspension marks a significant downfall for Pogba, once the world's most expensive footballer, who, after emerging from United's academy, moved to Juventus on a free transfer in 2012, securing four consecutive Serie A titles.
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