Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has had his four-year doping ban reduced to 18 months following a successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The ban, originally imposed after Pogba tested positive for the banned substance dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), now allows the French international to return to competitive football in March 2025.
Pogba, who was provisionally suspended in September 2023 after testing positive following Juventus’ match against Udinese, did not play in the game but appeared as a substitute in subsequent fixtures before the suspension took effect. The initial four-year ban, the standard punishment under the World Anti-Doping Code, has been shortened as Pogba successfully argued that the positive test resulted from an innocent mistake, due to a prescribed nutritional supplement.
“Finally, the nightmare is over,” Pogba said in a statement after the ruling. “I’ve always played with integrity and never knowingly broke the rules. I’m grateful to the court for hearing my case, and I can now look forward to resuming my career.”
DHEA, a substance that promotes the production of hormones like testosterone, is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Pogba maintained that the supplement he took was not intended to enhance his performance and accepted the decision as a strict liability offense.
During his suspension, Pogba has focused on maintaining his fitness and is expected to resume training in January 2025, preparing for his full return in March. The midfielder, who helped France win the 2018 World Cup, has struggled with injuries since rejoining Juventus in 2022 after leaving Manchester United. Despite these challenges, Pogba remains determined to make up for lost time on the pitch.
Pogba’s suspension marks a difficult chapter in his career, but with the ban reduced, he is eager to regain his form and contribute to Juventus once again.
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