'I am sad, shocked and heartbroken' - Paul Pogba reacts to four-year ban in doping case

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been handed a four-year ban for a doping offence earlier this season, with the France international saying on Thursday that he will appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Sky Sport Italy and La Repubblica had reported that the sports prosecutor's request for a four-year ban was granted.

Juventus did not comment but a source confirmed the club was notified about the decision and would assess the next steps. The 30-year-old Pogba, who has denied any wrongdoing, has a contract at Juve until June 2026.

«I have today been informed of the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping's (NADO Italia) decision and believe that the verdict is incorrect,» Pogba said in a statement. «I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me.

»As a consequence of the decision announced today, I will appeal this before the Court of Arbitration for Sport."

Italy's national anti-doping organisation (NADO Italia) declined to comment on Pogba's case citing privacy rules.

Pogba was provisionally suspended by a NADO Italia tribunal in September after testing positive for testosterone — a banned substance and hormone that increases athletes' endurance.

The test, performed after Juve's 3-0 Serie A season-opening victory at Udinese on Aug. 20, detected testosterone, with the tribunal saying the results were consistent with an 'exogenous' (external) origin of the substance.

Pogba was an unused substitute in that game but he later made two appearances off the bench against Bologna and Empoli before he was handed a provisional suspension.

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