France international, Paul Pogba’s four-year doping ban has been reduced to just 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), allowing the World Cup-winning midfielder to resume his career far sooner than expected.
Pogba, who was facing the prospect of early retirement, now has a clear path to return to football, with the ruling permitting him to begin training with Juventus in January 2025 and compete in official matches by March.
Pogba’s original suspension, which started on September 11, 2023, followed a positive test for DHEA, a banned substance known for its testosterone-boosting effects.
Crucially, CAS ruled that the substance only impacts females, confirming that the French midfielder’s use was inadvertent.
This ruling not only shortens his ban but also overturns his original €5,000 fine.
Mail Sport exclusively reported the news on Friday, revealing that an American clinic, 10X Health Systems, was cited in the midfielder’s appeal, with photographic evidence linking the clinic to the supplements he consumed.
The Juventus midfielder’s representatives and CAS have yet to comment publicly, but the ruling brings an end to months of uncertainty, allowing the 31-year-old to start planning his football comeback.
Football pundit Fabrizio Romano also confirmed the development on X, stating, “Paul Pogba will be back to action in 2025, confirmed!”
In March 2024, Pogba expressed his belief that the verdict was inaccurate and emphasised that he would never intentionally use doping substances.
