Didier Deschamps, the coach of the French national soccer team, has expressed his support for Paul Pogba following the Italian anti-doping committee’s decision to impose a four-year suspension on the player for a doping affair. This severe suspension comes as the player, who will soon turn 31, considers appealing the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The football community has reacted widely on social media to the news. As for Deschamps, he has clearly voiced his support for the iconic Juventus midfielder, highlighting the gravity of the situation and its potential impact on the French player’s career.
“I can’t imagine for a moment that Paul intended, wanted to dope. Knowing him well, I know that it’s not at all in his mindset. Now, there are the facts and what the two samples taken reveal. The presence of the illicit hormone is unquestionable. The problem is there, and Paul will now have to fight a new battle to defend himself before the Court of Arbitration for Sport and convince the judges that he did not knowingly take banned substances,” the national coach stated in a release to the press.
“As reflected by the sentence pronounced this Thursday by the Italian anti-doping tribunal, what Paul has been going through for several months is extremely hard, and I obviously cannot remain indifferent to his suffering, given everything he has achieved in the national team and the relationships we have formed in the French team. His situation saddens me, and I hope with all my heart that it can be resolved. I want to believe that,” added Deschamps.
