"Everything was taken"

4-year ban: Pogba “shocked and heartbroken”

Paul Pogba was banned for four years.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Isabella BONOTTO)

Paul Pogba has spoken out via Instagram following the announcement of his four-year ban. The Frenchman, who was punished for his doping offense, is "sad, shocked and heartbroken" by the anti-doping tribunal's decision.

"I was informed of the decision of the national anti-doping tribunal today," the Juventus midfield star wrote on Instagram. "I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built up in my professional playing career has been taken away from me."

Appeal against the verdict
Pogba continues to deny the allegations. If he is free from legal restrictions, the whole story will be cleared up, the 30-year-old said. "I have never knowingly or intentionally taken any supplements that violate anti-doping rules. As a professional athlete, I would never do anything to enhance my performance by taking banned substances, and I have never disrespected or cheated other athletes or fans of the teams I have played for or against." Pogba therefore announced that he would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

In September, the 2018 world champion was banned after a test found his testosterone levels to be too high. At the time, Pogba had admitted to having read references to performance-enhancing substances on the package insert of a dietary supplement. However, the hoped-for reduction in the sentence from four to two years was not achieved as a result of the confession.