French midfielder Paul Pogba’s doping ban has reduced to 18 months from four years by Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), according to various reports.
The Juventus midfielder will now be able to start playing again from March 2025.
Earlier in March, the World Cup winner was handed a four-year ban after testing positive for DHEA in August, 2023. A four-year ban is the standard length under the World Anti-Doping Code.
Pogba was provisionally suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping (NADO Italia) tribunal in September, 2023 after testing positive for testosterone - a banned substance.
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The test, performed after Juve’s 3-0 Serie A 2023-24 season-opening victory at Udinese on August 20, detected testosterone, a hormone that increases athletes’ endurance. The then 30-year-old was an unused substitute in that game.
Then, his positive doping test was also confirmed in a counter-analysis on a second sample in October last year.
Pogba then appeal against ban in CAS; the former Manchester United midfielder said he is ‘sad, shocked and heartbroken’ at the ban
The 2018 World Cup winner barely played last season due injuries after his move to the Italian club from Old Trafford. His knee surgery also prevented him from playing for France at the World Cup in Qatar.
The new decision means that the 31-year-old footballer can start training with the Turin-based club soon.
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