Italy suspends Pogba after doping accusations

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been provisionally suspended by Italy's national anti-doping tribunal after returning an adverse sample.

The France international tested positive for testosterone in a random drugs test following Juventus' Serie A game against Udinese on August 20, when he was an unused substitute.

After the Italian anti-doping body issued a statement on Monday evening confirming Pogba's suspension, Juventus said the club would now consider "the next procedural steps".

If found guilty of doping, a suspension of between two and four years could be handed out to Pogba.

"Juventus Football Club announces that today, September 11, 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 August 20, 2023," a statement from the Serie A side read.

"The club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps."

Italy's national anti-doping tribunal issued a statement confirming Pogba's positive sample for testosterone.

Earlier on Monday, former Manchester United midfielder Pogba said he was almost driven to walk away from football after allegedly being blackmailed by an organised crime gang.

The 30-year-old's brother Mathias was detained in September 2022 on suspicion of involvement in the alleged plot, which Paul Pogba claimed amounted to a bid to extort £11.1million from him.

Mathias Pogba was released in December and denies the charges.

Paul Pogba reported the incident to Turin prosecutors in July of last year, shortly after leaving Manchester United on a free transfer in order to rejoin Juventus.