French footballer Paul Pogba has had his four-year doping ban reduced to 18 months after successfully appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The former Manchester United star was initially handed the lengthy suspension in February following a positive test for the banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in August 2023.
DHEA, known for boosting hormone levels such as testosterone, led to a potential career-ending situation for the 31-year-old midfielder. However, Pogba demonstrated during his appeal that he had unknowingly consumed the substance, resulting in a significant reduction of his penalty.
With this new ruling, Pogba is set to make his return to Juventus in March next year, with permission to start training as early as January. While Pogba has yet to issue an official statement, he hinted at his comeback on Instagram by posting a sand timer emoji.
The Daily Mail reported that the appeal was heard at CAS headquarters in Switzerland in August, with photographic evidence of a possibly contaminated product playing a crucial role in his defense.
Pogba was provisionally suspended last September after testing positive for DHEA following Juventus' 3-0 win over Udinese on August 20, though he did not play in the match. A subsequent analysis confirmed the initial test result. Italian anti-doping prosecutors had initially sought a four-year ban, a decision upheld by Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal (TNA). Pogba expressed being "sad, shocked, and heartbroken" after the initial ruling and vowed to prove his innocence.
Since rejoining Juventus, Pogba has been plagued by injuries, making only 10 appearances last season. His return will see him join a strong Juventus team currently unbeaten in Serie A under new manager Thiago Motta.
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