Pogba return timeframe set out as ‘nightmare’ doping ban reduced
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Paul Pogba's doping ban has been reduced to 18 months from the original four years following an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Cas announced on Friday that the French footballer's four-year suspension has been shortened, now set to expire in March 2025.
Pogba is still contracted with Juventus and might, in theory, come back to play before the current season wraps up. It's been reported that he could start training again in January and be available to play as early as March.
Matthieu Reeb, the director general of Cas, verified to Reuters that the suspension has been set for a duration of 18 months, beginning on September 11, 2023.
In September 2023, the French international athlete received a temporary suspension from Italy’s national anti-doping agency, NADO Italia, after he tested positive for DHEA—an outlawed substance known to increase testosterone levels.
The 31-year-old Pogba stated that he has done nothing wrong and announced in February that he plans to contest the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The doping test took place following Juventus's 3-0 win against Udinese at the start of the Serie A season in August 2023.
The tribunal announced that it found banned "non-endogenous testosterone metabolites" and noted that the findings suggested these substances came from an external source.
In his announcement, Pogba expressed, “At last, the ordeal has come to an end. I’m excited for the time when I can pursue my dreams once more.”
I've always maintained that I never intentionally violated World Anti-Doping Agency rules when I took a dietary supplement recommended by my doctor, which doesn't impact or improve the performance of male athletes.
"I compete with honesty, and while I recognize that this is a strict liability offense, I would like to express my gratitude to the judges of the Court of Arbitration for Sport who listened to my side of the story."
"This has been an incredibly tough time for me, as all the efforts I've put in have come to a standstill."
Having represented France 91 times, Pogba had only played in eight league matches during his second spell at Juventus after coming back from Manchester United.
He played for six seasons at Old Trafford before leaving on a free transfer in 2022.
Further contributions made by Reuters.
