Nearly thirty years before Paul Pogba’s four-year suspension following his positive testosterone test, Fabien Barthez was also suspended for cannabis use.
This Thursday, Paul Pogba saw the anti-doping prosecution confirm his suspension for four years following a positive test for testosterone carried out last August. The Juventus midfielder has chosen to appeal, but the rest of his career at the highest level seems to be in jeopardy for the moment. And even though he is still only thirty years old, the 2018 world champion still has little hope of seeing the decision of the Italian anti-doping court be annulled, or even lessened, which would allow him to return to the competition more quickly. land. But Paul Pogba is not the first French international to find himself in such a situation. Thirty years earlier, Fabien Barthez was also sidelined.
Certainly, to a much lesser degree, but the fact is that the former goalkeeper of the French team, world champion in 1998 and European champion in 2000, was also suspended for several months following a positive test for cannabis. The episode began in October 1995. At that time, Fabien Barthez was wearing the AS Monaco jersey and he was returning from injury after fracturing a wrist. While his team has just faced FC Nantes, the goalkeeper tested positive and his case is examined by the Federation’s Anti-Doping Control Commission.
A second suspension
The body will have a heavy hand and will decide to impose a four-month suspension, including two firm ones, on the former Olympique de Marseille goalkeeper. A sidelining which took effect in January 1996, a few months before Euro 96 in which he will still participate in a role of third goalkeeper (the Blues will reach the semi-finals). However, the period of forced sidelining due to his suspension allowed Barthez to immerse himself in work with assiduity, offering him the opportunity to take another step forward and progress quickly, under the leadership of Jean- Luc Ettori.
Suspended the first time, Fabien Barthez will be suspended a second time during his career, much longer this time, but for a completely different reason. On February 12, 2005, he was guilty of spitting towards the referee of the friendly match between OM (which he returned to in 2004) and WAC Casablanca. The “divine bald” will then receive a six-month suspension, with a series of community service to be carried out. A black mark on the CV of the French goalkeeper, far from being enough to tarnish an otherwise remarkable career.
