Pogba says ‘nightmare is over’ after drug ban cut to 18 months
French footballer Paul Pogba has expressed relief after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 18 months. The Juventus midfielder, who tested positive for testosterone in August 2023 after a match against Udinese, can return to competitive play from March 11, just before his 32nd birthday.
“Finally, the nightmare is over. I can look forward to the day I can follow my dreams again,” Pogba said in a statement after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced his suspension. The decision brings an end to a challenging period for the World Cup-winning player, whose career had been thrown into uncertainty.
Pogba maintained that he never knowingly breached World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations. He attributed the positive test to a nutritional supplement prescribed by a doctor in the U.S., which he believed was safe. “I always stated I never knowingly breached WADA regulations when I took a nutritional supplement prescribed by a doctor, which does not affect or enhance the performance of male athletes,” Pogba reiterated in his statement.
Earlier on October 4, a CAS spokesperson confirmed the reduction of Pogba’s suspension to 18 months, starting from September 11, 2023. The detailed reasoning behind the decision will be released later.
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Pogba’s representatives clarified that the testosterone in his system came from the food supplement, which was prescribed during a consultation in the United States. In response to his original four-year suspension, Pogba had publicly declared his shock and heartbreak at the situation, maintaining his innocence and expressing sorrow at having his professional career disrupted.
A pivotal figure in France’s 2018 World Cup win, Pogba has endured several off-field and injury-related challenges since his return to Juventus in 2022 after leaving Manchester United. He only made 10 appearances during the 2022-23 season due to a knee injury, which also kept him out of the Qatar World Cup, where France lost to Argentina in the final.
Pogba was also the victim of a highly publicized extortion case, involving six men, including his brother Mathias, who were ordered to stand trial for the incident in September 2023.
Now, with his suspension significantly shortened, Pogba can begin planning his return to the field, hoping to rebuild his career after the difficult period that has shadowed his professional life.
Written by Sakinat Musa Abubakar, Editor at Neptune Prime
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