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    Paul Pogba’s agent breaks silence on his failed drugs test after Juventus star is suspended

    PAUL POGBA’S agent has broken her silence on the Juventus midfielder’s failed drugs test. The former Manchester United star has been provisionally suspended by anti-doping officials after they found traces of testosterone in his system.
    Paul Pogba could face a lengthy ban if found guiltyCredit: Getty
    Agent Rafaela Pimenta took on Mino Raiola’s clients after his death in 2022Credit: INSTAGRAM/Rafaela Pimenta
    Pogba has three days to respond to the test.
    In the meantime, his agent Rafaela Pimenta has issued a statement on the situation.
    She said: “We are waiting for the counter analysis and until then we can’t say anything.
    “The certain thing is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break the rules.”
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    The banned substance was supposedly found in the 30-year-old after Juventus’ first game of the season against Udinese.
    If found guilty to have broken the rules, Pogba could reportedly face a ban for up to four years.
    The length of the suspension will depend on whether there is evidence of him taking the substance deliberately.
    Testosterone is a hormone which makes bones tougher and increases muscle mass, therefore making you stronger.
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    It has also been known to boost haemoglobin, which is the protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the working muscles.
    And it can help people recover from injuries.
    Testosterone is found in various over-the-counter products at pharmacies and it occurs naturally in men.
    Tests on athletes look for unnatural forms of testosterone in people’s systems.
    Pogba re-joined Juventus in a free transfer last summer after his Man Utd deal expired.
    Injuries led to him playing just ten times last season and manager Max Allegri revealed the 2018 World Cup winner has already picked up another problem just three games into the new campaign.
    Pogba also admitted he considered retiring from football after he was the target of an £11million blackmail plot by his friends. More

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    Conor Benn planning to sue British boxing chiefs for £3.5MILLION over drug test drama that KOd Chris Eubank fight

    CONOR BENN is reportedly set to sue British Boxing chiefs over the drama which saw his fight against Chris Eubank Jr collapse. Benn was due to fight Eubank Jr on October 10 last year, before the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) KO’d the fight after Benn failed a drug test.
    Conor Benn is reportedly set to sue British Boxing chiefsCredit: Getty
    Benn was set to throw hands with Chris Eubank JrCredit: Getty
    But Benn was later cleared by the WBCCredit: PA
    However, Benn, who vehemently protested his innocence, has now been cleared by the WBC after they accepted the cause of the failure was down to eating too many eggs.
    According to the Daily Mail, a furious Benn is planning a £3.5million lawsuit against the BBBoC for the 50 per cent stake he was due from the reported £7m fight purse.
    Benn told the Mail: “I’ve always been innocent and the Board have known about this for ages except they chose to call the show off two days before [it was due to take place].
    “There’s been other fighters in the past who have tested positive under UKAD (UK Anti-Doping), and the board have done nothing. They’ve still been allowed to fight.
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    “It’s just strange to me that VADA – the Voluntary Anti-doping Organisation that I employed myself for this fight – they’ve [the BBBoC] taken notice of other fighters who have failed the Board’s own testing agencies.
    “It is just baffling to me. I don’t know if there’s an agenda there or if they’re out for me because my dad [Nigel Benn] ripped up his British boxing licence on TV.”
    Benn followed in his father’s footsteps in ripping up his boxing licence as his doping row escalated.
    Traces of the banned substance Clomiphene, which is sometimes used in egg production for hens, was discovered in VADA urine samples.
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    Benn submitted a 270-page document to the WBC protesting his innocence in December, highlighting that he passed a pair of UKAD tests taken around the same time.
    The organisation have now re-instated the 26-year-old after he appealed, and published a lengthy statement explaining their decision.
    They found that a “highly-elevated consumption of eggs” was a “reasonable explanation” for the findings.
    Benn added: “It’s killed me [emotionally], definitely.
    “It’s like people have been waiting for something. People have been waiting for this. There are people who know me, know my team, and they know what we represent. It’s all just crazy.”
    Despite being cleared, Benn is still unable to fight in the UK due to an ongoing investigation from UKAD and the BBBofC.
    The highly-anticipated clash was set to see a new generation rematch of Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank, so had a special fervour among British boxing fans. More

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    Senegal star Keita Balde set to miss World Cup after being handed worldwide ban for violating anti-doping protocol

    SENEGAL star Keita Balde is set to miss the World Cup after being handed a 90-day ban for breaking anti-doping protocol.Balde, 27, is suspended until December 5 – with the group stages of the World Cup set to take place before that date.
    Keita Balde has been banned despite returning a negative testCredit: Getty
    The Spartak Moscow star was found to be in breach of protocol surrounding a drug test he gave while playing for Cagliari.
    After featuring for the Serie A side in a 5-1 defeat to Udinese in April Balde was called to give a test.
    It returned a negative result but Balde broke protocol and has subsequently been suspended by the Italian National Anti-Doping Court.
    And according to Fifa rules, that ban must be upheld by the Russian Football Union.
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    Unfortunately for Balde the ban begins now so he is set to miss the group stages of the World Cup.
    That means a call-up to the squad is unlikely, although the forward can return to training 22 days before the end of his ban.
    Keita is not the only one at risk of missing out in Qatar, with Ecuador waiting to find out if they will be kicked out over the Byron Castillo scandal.
    The world governing body are investigating whether the right-back, who plays for Mexican side Leon, was born in Ecuador or in Colombia.
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    Castillo has 10 caps for Ecuador and helped them reach the World Cup finals in Qatar this winter.
    But the Daily Mail claims it has an audio recording from four years ago of Castillo giving his name as the one matching his alleged Colombian birth certificate.
    Castillo also says he was born THREE years earlier than the age on his Ecuadorian birth certificate. More

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    Fifteen Premier League stars fail drugs tests with NONE banned over five-year period by UK Anti-Doping agency

    FIFTEEN Premier League stars failed drugs tests between 2015 and 2020 with NONE banned, according to sensational reports.The Mail on Sunday has revealed 12 of the top-flight players in question tested positive for banned performance-enhancing substances during the five-year period.
    Fifteen Premier League stars failed drugs tests between 2015 and 2020, with 12 for performance-enhancing substancesCredit: Reuters
    Across all leagues in England, Scotland and Wales, 88 footballers failed drugs tests between 2013 and 2020.
    One of the dozen Prem stars tested positive for an amphetamine while there were three findings of triamcinolone – the same drug Sir Bradley Wiggins used to battle hayfever during his 2012 Tour de France victory.
    Four Premier League players returned positive tests for Ritalin – a stimulant often used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
    It can, however, be used to enhance performance.
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    One star failed a drugs test after banned testosterone booster HCG was found in their blood during the 2019-20 season.
    However, HCG can occur naturally in the body as a result of having a tumour, such as ones found in testicular cancer.
    The report claims the player in question was being investigated five months after the finding but was never sanctioned.
    Among top-flight stars alone, steroids were found in some blood tests, as well as a diuretic which can help in weight loss AND help mask the presence of other banned substances.
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    Despite the shocking findings, the UK Anti-Doping agency (UKAD) failed to ban a single player.
    However, 15 of the 24 non-Premier League players who returned a positive test WERE banned.
    Those suspensions ranged from three months to FOUR YEARS.
    According to the report, the FA urged UKAD NOT to release details of cases involving social drugs, rather than performance-enhancing substances.
    Some failed tests were not disclosed as they involved under-age players.
    The report claims the Premier League are satisfied that all of the 12 failed drugs tests had ‘innocent explanations’.
    Therefore, UKAD and the FA – the bodies who police drug testing – saw no need for punishments. More

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    Barnsley defender Bambo Diaby banned for two years for doping by FA as he has contract ripped up

    BARNSLEY defender Bambo Diaby has been banned for two years for doping and has had his contract ripped up by the club.
    The 22-year-old is now prohibited from ‘all forms of football activity’ until 2022.

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    Diaby was hit with the provisional suspension in JanuaryCredit: Rex Features

    He was found guilty by the FA and World Anti-Doping Agency of breaching regulations.
    Diaby showed traces of Higenamine in an ‘in-competition’ urine sample when tested in January 2020.
    Higenamine was added to the list of banned substances in 2017.
    It is found in a variety of plant sources and is on the banned list as it could act as a general stimulant.

    The Spain-born Senegalese centre-back could not explain how the substance got into his system.
    He has now been hit with a two year penalty – and Barnsley made it a double-whammy as they terminated his contract.
    The ban starts on the day of his first provisional suspension on January 17 2020 and will be lifted at 11.59pm on January 16 2022.
    Diaby thanked fans for their support during his suspension in an open letter on the club website.

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    Diaby released an open letter to fans where he maintained his innocenceCredit: PA:Press Association
    He said: “I maintain my innocence, something the FA have acknowledged themselves but I must handle this decision with my family and look forward to a brighter future.
    “I was welcomed with open arms by staff, players and the whole community of Barnsley. I made this place my home and was looking forward to many years playing for the town and its people.”
    Barnsley released a statement explaining their decision to part ways with Diaby was ‘regretful’.
    They said: “The FA Anti-Doping Regulation mandate a two-year ban where an individual is unable to show that they meet the strict requirements to sustain a plea of No Fault or Negligence, or No Significant Fault or Negligence.

    “Despite making sincere efforts to identify the source of the prohibited substance, Bambo Diaby has been unable to do so.
    “Because of this, a two-year mandatory ban has been imposed by World Anti-Doping Agency and the FA. Bambo Diaby was not found guilty of knowingly ingesting a banned substance.
    “Both Bambo Diaby and Barnsley FC have been honest and compliant throughout the process. However, following the outcome, regretfully Bambo Diaby’s contract has been consensually terminated.”

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