The sanction is heavy and could spell the end of a career plagued in recent months by injuries and the legal case involving his brother and several relatives.
Paul Pogba was suspended for four years by the Italian anti-doping court on Thursday for a positive test for testosterone, confirmed by the B sample, on the sidelines of a Serie A match between his club, Juventus Turin, and Udinese in august.
The world champion, who will celebrate his 31st birthday in March, immediately indicated his intention to appeal this decision.
Why did he receive the maximum sentence?
The anti-doping court followed the prosecutor's request.
In December, the representative of the Italian prosecutor's office responsible for these cases requested a four-year suspension.
Or the duration of suspension provided for by the transalpine texts, in connection with the scale of sanctions of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Testosterone is classified as an anabolic product, and therefore allows an increase in muscle mass.
“The rules are strict and defined.
This is the most serious category, underlines the lawyer specializing in sports law, Me Tatiana Vassine.
For the athletes concerned, the room for maneuver is very limited.
» Paul Pogba tried to reduce his sentence, pleading in his case contamination by a food supplement prescribed by a doctor in the United States.
In vain.
“There is a certain automaticity, unless you prove precisely that you have not committed any significant fault or negligence in the contamination,” continues the lawyer.
It is not enough to say
I did not do it on purpose
, you need a detailed and justified file.
»
What are his chances on appeal?
“I think the verdict is incorrect,” launched the midfielder on Instagram, where he announced his intention, already revealed by those around him, to appeal the suspension.
His case will leave Italy to join Switzerland and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
The only court capable of judging appeals from international level athletes in doping cases.
At the beginning of February, the former world number one tennis player, the Romanian Simona Halep, was heard to contest her four-year suspension received in September.
“We can expect a judgment by the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025,” estimates Me Tatiana Vassine.
The procedure is supervised.
Here again, you have to come up with a solid argument so that the referees can reduce the sanction.
In the Pogba case, the CAS will be the last resort on the merits.
There is a possibility of appealing to the Swiss federal court, the equivalent of the court of cassation, but only if basic points of the procedure have not been respected.
»
Can he hope to play somewhere if the suspension is confirmed?
Provisionally suspended since September 11, Paul Pogba is not about to find a field again.
The CAS appeal is not suspensive, which therefore forces the player to wait, at best if the Swiss court drastically reduces his sentence, several months to hope to play.
His contract with Juventus Turin, renewed in the summer of 2022, runs until 2026. But the Italian club could decide to terminate it if the Frenchman remains convicted after having exhausted his appeals.
Is the scenario of a club, in a lucrative championship but little sporting value, which would hire him plausible?
“It’s science fiction,” says Me Tatiana Vassine.
Fifa has signed the global anti-doping code, and can therefore extend the sanction to all football federations and confederations, preventing Paul Pogba from playing during his suspension.
Unless a private League is set up which is not linked to Fifa or the World Anti-Doping Agency, there is no chance.
»
If the CAS goes in the direction of the Italian anti-doping court, Paul Pogba should therefore be able to play again, at best, in September 2027. La Pioche would be 34 years old.
And probably too many years without a ball to hope for anything.