Pogba slapped with four-year ban for doping

France and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been banned for four years for a doping offence earlier this season, Italian media reported on Thursday.

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

Pogba was provisionally suspended by Italy's national anti-doping (NADO Italia) tribunal in September after testing positive for testosterone - a banned substance.

The test, performed after Juve's 3-0 Serie A season-opening victory at Udinese on August 20, detected testosterone, a hormone that increases athletes' endurance. The 30-year-old was an unused substitute in that game.

Pogba's positive doping test was also confirmed in a counter-analysis on a second sample in October.

Juventus did not comment but a source confirmed that the club had been notified about the decision of a four-year ban and would assess the next steps.

The Frenchman has had a torrid second spell with Juve due to injuries since he returned to the Turin-based outfit following his departure from Manchester United on a free transfer in 2022.

The 2018 World Cup winner barely played last season due to knee and hamstring injuries as well as knee surgery, which prevented him playing for France at the World Cup in Qatar.