SportsNews

Footballer Paul Pogba breaks his silence and admits he is ‘sad, shocked and heartbroken’ after being banned for four years for doping

Published

2 years ago

February 29, 2024

French forward, Paul Pogba has broken his silence after receiving a four-year ban for doping.

He tested positive for testosterone after Juventus’ first game of the season and was given his punishment by an anti-doping prosecutor’s office in Italy on Thursday.

Pogba’s lawyers had rejected a plea deal and hoped to get their client a lighter sentence after claiming he had accidentally ingested the substance that caused the positive test, DHEA.

However, the prosecution did not believe Pogba’s defence, and he has now been given a ban that could potentially end his career.

He said: ‘I have today been informed of the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping’s decision and believe that the verdict is incorrect.

‘I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me.

‘When I am free of legal restrictions the full story will become clear, but I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations.

‘As a professional athlete I would never do anything to enhance my performance by using banned substances and have never disrespected or cheated fellow athletes and supporters of any of the teams I have played for, or against.

‘As a consequence of the decision announced today I will appeal this before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.’

Pogba’s suspension completes a dramatic fall from grace for a player who was once the most expensive footballer in the world.

After coming through United’s academy, Pogba moved to Juventus on a free transfer in 2012 and proceeded to win four straight Serie A titles.

He returned to Old Trafford in 2016 for a world-record fee of £89m.

Pogba won the World Cup with France two years later, scoring in the final against Croatia, but struggled to hit the same heights at club level.

During his six years back in England, Pogba won the Europa League and League Cup with United, but failed to turn them into Premier League title contenders.

He left the 13-time Premier League champions on a free transfer for the second time in 2022 to go back to Juventus as he aimed to resurrect his career.

Pogba started just one game all season after being sidelined with knee, groin and hamstring problems.

He was named on the bench for their opening match of the 2023-24 season, but was an unused substitute in their 3-0 win at Udinese.

Following that match, he returned a test that has led to him receiving a four-year ban.

The substance found in his system was DHEA, which can naturally boost levels of testosterone.

Pogba requested for his B-sample to be tested, but this also came back positive in October, leading to Juventus contemplating terminating his contract.

SportsNews

Chelsea mathematically out of title race after 3-0 defeat to Everton

Published

1 day ago

March 21, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Chelsea are now mathematically out of the Premier League title race.

This follows their 3-0 drubbing in the hands of Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday night.

Liam Rosenior’s men came into the match with 48 points, looking to keep pace with the teams in front of them.

However, Beto opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half, before adding a second after the break.

Chelsea barely threatened Everton and looked flat for most of the game, before Iliman Ndiaye added a third.

The result means the Blues cannot match the 70 points that league leaders Arsenal currently have with seven matches left.

Champions Liverpool are also on the verge of being mathematically ruled out, as they have 49 points.

SportsNews

Super Eagles player bounced me from Iheanacho’s room — Osimhen

Published

2 days ago

March 21, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Galatasaray striker, Victor Osimhen, has claimed that a senior member of the Super Eagles squad in 2017 sent him away from a hotel room during his first call-up to the national team.

According to the 27-year-old, it was Kelechi Iheanacho who intervened and welcomed him inside.

Osimhen revealed this while appearing on a Twitch livestream with comedian, Carter Efe in the early hours of Saturday.

He said: “When I came, I met Iheanacho. And I told him, ‘ah, see me, I’m gonna carry your boots.’ So he said I should come to his room so, he gave me his room number.

“So, as I got to his room — I don’t just want to mention the name — he had a roommate. So, as I knocked on the door, the roommate opened the door. So, he like bounced me out of the room.”

Osimhen refused to reveal the identity of the player who sent him away.

SportsNews

AFCON 2025; Drama as Senegal Reportedly Relocates Trophy To Military Base After CAF Decision (Video)

Published

3 days ago

March 20, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Drama as Senegal reportedly relocates AFCON trophy to military base after Confederation of African Football (CAF) viral decision.

‎It would be recalled that CAF stripped Senegal of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, awarding it to Morocco instead.

This decision came after Morocco appealed the result of the January 18 final, where Senegal won 1-0 in extra time.

‎ According to the CAF Appeal Board, Senegal had forfeited the match due to their players walking off the pitch in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco, citing Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations.

The controversy surrounds the AFCON final, where Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in protest of a late penalty awarded to Morocco.

In a clip circulating on the microblogging platform, X (formerly Twitter), a young man with glasses is seen holding the AFCON trophy surrounded by military personnel.

The clip captures the military personnel’s excitement as they support the trophy, with an officer recording the moment.

In a recent development, Senegal has announced plans to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with some officials and players expressing outrage and disappointment.