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Pogba’s Juve Contract Terminated Despite Doping Ban Reduction
Paul Pogba’s Juventus career is over after the Serie A club announced on Friday that the France midfielder’s contract had been terminated even though his doping ban was cut to 18 months on appeal.
Pogba will be able to return to competitive football in March after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) chopped last month an initial four-year suspension handed down by the Italian anti-doping authority NADO.
But Juventus have decided to cut ties with the 31-year-old, whose return to Turin from Manchester United in 2022 was ruined by a string of problems on and off the pitch.
In a statement, Juve said that they and Pogba “have reached a mutual agreement for the termination of their contract as of 30 November, 2024”.
His contract had been due to expire in 2026.
“You gave me a lot, more than what I could ever say, and I’ll always keep with me the love you showed me,” said Pogba to Juve fans on social media.
“You’ll always be in my heart. Good luck.”
Pogba had said in October that he was “willing to give up money to be able to play again with Juve”, an appeal which fell on deaf ears at the “Old Lady” of Italian football.
Juve’s announcement is no surprise as both coach Thiago Motta and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli have both repeatedly referred to Pogba in the past tense, saying that “he was a great player”.
Pogba, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, started just one match after rejoining Juve — with whom he won four Serie A titles between 2012 and 2016 — in the summer of 2022.
He last played for Juve at Empoli in September last year, not long before he was provisionally suspended for testing positive for testosterone.
That test came following Juve’s opening Serie A fixture of last season the previous month, a 3-0 win at Udinese in which he didn’t even play.
He was then banned for four years by NADO in February, a sanction which put his career at risk before CAS reduced his punishment.
CAS accepted Pogba’s argument that the failed test “was the result of erroneously taking a supplement prescribed to him by a medical doctor in Florida”.
However, CAS did not completely exonerate Pogba as he “was not without fault” and as a professional football player, “he should have paid a greater care in the circumstances”.
During the 2022-23 season, Pogba made just 10 appearances for Juve, mainly due to a knee injury that also ruled him out of the World Cup in Qatar where France lost out to Argentina in the final in December 2022.
He was also the victim of a case of organised extortion, for which six men, including his brother Mathias, have been ordered to stand trial.
In Pogba’s absence Juve switched manager from Massimiliano Allegri to Motta and brought in a host of new players as part of a rebuild.
Juve, who finished third last term without Pogba, splashed out over 120 million euros on midfielders Teun Koopmeiners, Douglas Luiz and Khephren Thuram in a busy summer on the transfer market.
They currently sit sixth in Serie A but are only two points behind league leaders Napoli and face AC Milan at the San Siro after the international break.
AFP
News
AFCON 2025Q: Eguavoen excuses bereaved Nwabali from Amavubi clash
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Super Eagles caretaker coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has excused Stanley Nwabali from the team’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Rwanda
The Chippa United lost his father on Friday morning.
The former surveyor died at the age of 67.
“He (Nwabali) has been excused from the game. However, the player will come to watch the match and cheer his team mates on,” team administrator, Dayo Enebi Achor, told thenff.com.
Eguavoen now has two goalkeepers, Maduka Okoye and Amas Obasogie available for the game.
The Super Eagles will host the Rwandans at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Monday.
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Gov Okpebholo Makes Six Fresh Appointments In Edo
The Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the appointment of six more persons to serve in various capacities in his government.
Those appointed include Dr. Emmanuel Paddy lyamu as the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB); Lucky Enehita-Inegbenehi as the Managing Director of the State Waste Management Board; and CP Friday Ibadin, Rtd, State Corps Commander, Edo State Security Corps Governance.
Others are Stainless M.I. Ijeghede as the Managing Director, Edo State Traffic Management Agency, (EDSTMA); Sir (Dr.) Lucky Eseigbe, as Managing Director, Edo State Public Building and Maintenance Agency; and Engr. Emmanuel Ehidiamen Okoebor, as Hon. Commissioner of Finance-designate.
In a statement on Friday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Fred Itua, made available to newsmen in Benin City, he said the six appointments take effect from November 15, 2024.
Dr. Iyamu holds a Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Benin. He is also a holder of Doctor of Science in Petroleum Resources from the European American University.
Iyamu is a strategic leader and renowned expert in security, business administration, human resources. An alumnus of Oxford University (Said Business School), he holds a Professional Doctorate in Leadership and Management from City University of Paris.
With over 15 years of experience, Dr. Iyamu has excelled across the banking, oil, and gas sectors, significantly improving corporate security and crisis management operations.
Until his appointment, Dr. Iyamu was the Chief Executive Oficer of Gabbem Integrated Services Lid, a leading company specialized in marine equipment and services.
Similarly, the second appointee Enehita-Inegbenehi obtained his B.Sc. (Human Resource d M.Sc. in Strategic Leadership and Governance from the University of Cape Coast respectively.
He is a dynamic and result-oriented professional, with an extensive experience in leadership and human resource management. He has proven abilities to analyze complex issues, develop effective strategies and guide teams towards success while fostering professional growth.
Inegbenehi was the Chief Executive Officer of JEI Visions Iron Metals, JEI Visions Service Apartments as well as JEI Visions Cleaning Services.
The third appointee CP Ibadan worked and retiredY from the Nigeria Police after a meritorious 35 years of service. He was one of the 11 officers seconded to the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and was a regional officer in the Headquarters.
He has attended various security courses in Egypt, France, USA among others. CP Friday Obadin holds the Bachelor Degrees in Philosophy and Law, respectively and was later called to the Nigerian Bar in the year 2007.
He is a member of Afican centre from crime prevention research studies, Cairo, Egypt. He is happily married with children.
The fourth appointee ljeghede holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He had a successful career in the Petroleum Industry, having worked and held sensitive positions, particularly in the Well Engineering and Safety Department in Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Ltd.
He retired from the Service of Shell after a meritorious service.
The fifth appointee Eseigbe obtained his LL.B and LL.M at the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma respectively. Until this appointment, Lucky Eseigbe Esq, was a Legislative Aide/Legal Adviser/Consultant to notable Honourable Members of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from year 2007 to November 2024.
The sixth appointee Okoebor was born on October 21, 1972. He had his first degree in Civil Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Benin, Benin City respectively.
Engr. Okoebor, MBA has over 25 years of experience in the Banking Sector, including roles at the Standard Trust and United Bank of Africa (UBA).
He rose through the ranks in the Banking Industry to the position of Assistant General Manager (AGM) and is currently Regional Manager, United Bank of Africa (UBA) overseeing 15 Business Offices.
Engr. Emmanuel Ehidiamen Okoebor MBA is also a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and a registered member of COREN.
News
Just in: Tyson well beaten in heavyweight comeback, by Youtuber Jake Paul
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Tyson, 58, could hardly lay a punch during the eight-round bout at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with Paul winning by big margins on all three cards – 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73.
Paul, 27, used his superior speed and movement to dominate the ageing Tyson with ease, and had the former undisputed heavyweight champion in trouble after landing a flurry of punches in the third round.
Yet the younger fighter was unable to land the knockout blow he had promised to deliver during Thursday’s ill-tempered weigh-in, where Tyson slapped him across the face.
Tyson, however, looked every bit of his 58 years, managing to land only a handful of meaningful punches during the fight.
Final statistics showed Tyson connected with just 18 of 97 punches thrown while Paul threw some 278 punches and landed 78 of them.
As the final seconds of the eighth round counted down, Paul could even afford to bow in respect to Tyson before the bell sounded. (AFP, excluding headline)
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