Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been provisionally suspended from playing because of an anti-doping offence.
Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal (Nado) said Pogba returned a test with elevated levels of testosterone after Juve’s 3-0 win at Udinese on 20 August.
France international Pogba, 30, was an unused substitute but was selected at random for post-match drug testing.
Pogba has played a combined total of 51 minutes as a substitute this season in games with Bologna and Empoli.
Juventus said in a statement: “Juventus Football Club announces that today, 11 September, 2023, the footballer Paul Labile Pogba received a precautionary suspension order from the National Anti-Doping Tribunal following the results of tests carried out on 20 August, 2023.
“The club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps.”
Nado said Pogba had violated anti-doping rules when they found the prohibited substance “non-endogenous testosterone metabolites” and the results were “consistent with the exogenous origin of the target compounds”.
Testosterone is a hormone that increases the endurance of athletes.
