Sports
Paul Pogba’s Doping Ban Reduced To 18 Months After CAS Appeal
As reported by Sky Sports, Pogba, who tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) during the first match of the 2023/24 season, will be eligible to return to action for Juventus starting in March next year.
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“Finally the nightmare is over,” said Pogba in a statement. “Following the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again.”
Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal (TNA) initially accepted the Anti-Doping Prosecutor’s Office’s request to impose a four-year suspension on Paul Pogba last March. This is the standard penalty under the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA), meaning Pogba would have been sidelined from football until March 2027.
Pogba added: “I always stated that I never knowingly breached World Anti-Doping Agency regulations when I took a nutritional supplement prescribed to me by a doctor, which does not affect or enhance the performance of male athletes.
“I play with integrity, and although I must accept that this is a strict liability offence, I want to place on record my thanks to the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s judges who heard my explanation.
“This has been a hugely distressing period in my life because everything I have worked so hard for has been put on hold. Thank you again for all the love and support. I just cannot wait to get back on the pitch.”
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The €5,000 (£4,179) fine imposed on Paul Pogba has been dismissed, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is set to officially announce the reduction of his ban on Monday.
Under anti-doping rules, a four-year suspension can be reduced if the athlete proves the violation was unintentional, caused by contamination, or if they offer “substantial assistance” to investigators.
Pogba, 31, was initially suspended in September 2023 after testing positive for DHEA—a substance that increases hormone production, including testosterone—following Juventus’ match at Udinese on August 20. Although he didn’t play, Pogba made substitute appearances against Bologna and Empoli before the suspension was enforced.
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