Reports: Paul Pogba requests counter-analysis on failed doping test

Following Monday’s news that Paul Pogba popped a positive test for elevated levels of testosterone after Juventus’ season-opening win over Udinese, the French midfielder is going to need a turn of fortune in the next step of the process to potentially keep his career alive.

That next step is a counter-analysis of the initial failed doping test that has subsequently seen Pogba be provisionally suspended, something that he has requested to take place, according to reports out of Italy on Thursday morning. Pogba, who has reportedly been suspended without pay by Juventus, will now have to wait up to seven days to get the results of the counter-analysis — which will either confirm his initial positive test or override the first test and likely see him return to the Juventus squad almost immediately thereafter.

For Pogba, there are basically two roads that this counter-analysis could lead to:

1. As we said, a negative test result of the counter-analysis would see him eligible to return to Juve as soon as possible.
2. A confirmation of the initial failed test, though, would see his provisional suspension continue and the case would then be taken to the Anti-Doping Tribunal where he would present his case for a potential clearing of the doping offense.

Reports in the Italian press over the last 24-36 hours since Pogba’s failed doping test first came to light on Monday have centered around him being given supplement by a doctor in the United States over the summer. (Pogba spent a good amount of the summer in Miami and owns a home in South Florida.) Most reports have said that Pogba risks a ban ranging anywhere from two years to four years depending on whether his reps can prove as to whether the 30-year-old midfielder knowingly took a supplement that could raise his testosterone levels or not.

It is widely anticipated that if Pogba is suspended for an extended period of time that Juventus will try and seek a termination of his contract, which currently has him as one of Serie A’s highest paid players and runs through the 2025-26 season.

As of right now, the only communication Juventus have released regarding Pogba’s failed doping test came Monday when they confirmed that there was a positive test and said “The club reserves the right to consider the next procedural steps.”