LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – France national team manager Didier Deschamps and fellow French teammate Kingsley Coman have come to the defense of Paul Pogba after his recent failed drug test while at Juventus.
Pogba faced provisional suspension from the Italian anti-doping authority after testing positive for testosterone, a hormone that enhances endurance in athletes.
If found guilty, the 30-year-old could face a football ban of up to four years as a result of the random drug test.
Reports from Italy suggest that Pogba has until the end of the week to present a counter-analysis of the test results.
Despite the situation, both Didier Deschamps, who has worked with Pogba since taking over as France’s manager in 2012, and Kingsley Coman, Pogba’s compatriot and a player for Bayern Munich, have voiced their support for the Juventus midfielder.
READ ALSO: Juventus Suspends Paul Pogba After Testing Positive For Banned Substance
Deschamps expressed his disbelief, stating, “I can’t imagine that, knowing him, with everything that is in his head. I still remember certain discussions with him on the vaccine and Covid… The substance is there, but unless there is a second opinion… I don’t think he himself knows [why] unfortunately. It’s hard for him. I have always supported him.”
Coman, who has played alongside Pogba for years on the French national team, also stood up for his close friend, saying, “We all support Paul; he’s a very close friend, he’s part of the family. We don’t really know more; we’ll have to look.
“But we know Paul; we know that if something happened, it was surely unconsciously, without intention. We are with him wholeheartedly.”
Paul Pogba has faced numerous challenges since his return to Juventus from Manchester United in 2022, including injuries, allegations of extortion by an organized crime gang, and now the failed drug test.
