Paul Pogba has had his initial four-year doping ban significantly reduced to 18 months following a successful appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The Juventus midfielder was originally handed the suspension in February after testing positive for Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in August of last year.
DHEA is a banned substance that aids in the production of hormones like testosterone.
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Pogba, a World Cup-winning star, faced the grim possibility of early retirement if the ban had remained in place.
However, after presenting evidence that he unknowingly consumed the substance, the Frenchman’s punishment was drastically reduced.
The 31-year-old is now set to resume his playing career for Juventus in March of next year.
Reports suggest that Pogba will be allowed to begin training as early as January.
Although he has not made any official statements, Pogba hinted at his comeback by posting a picture on Instagram featuring a sand timer emoji.
According to the Daily Mail, the appeal took place at CAS’s headquarters in Switzerland in August.
Photographic evidence of the potentially contaminated product Pogba ingested played a key role in overturning the initial decision.
Pogba was first provisionally suspended in September 2023 after testing positive for DHEA following Juventus’ 3-0 victory over Udinese on August 20.
Though he was named as a substitute in that match, Pogba did not make an appearance.
A counter-analysis of his sample also returned a positive result, prompting anti-doping authorities in Italy to request a four-year suspension, which was initially approved by the National Anti-Doping Tribunal (TNA).
Following the ruling, Pogba expressed his devastation, stating he was “sad, shocked, and heartbroken,” and vowed to prove his innocence.
His career at Juventus had already been disrupted by injuries, with the midfielder managing only 10 appearances in all competitions since his return to the club, and playing just two matches last season due to a back injury.
Now, with the ban reduced, Pogba is set to return to a Juventus side that remains unbeaten and currently sits second in Serie A under new manager Thiago Motta.
