Paul Pogba has expressed his relief after seeing his four-year doping ban be reduced to 18 months following an appeal.
The World Cup winning-midfielder tested positive for heightened levels of testosterone in his system back in September 2023 and was suspended while the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping investigated the incident.
The tribunal announced in February 2024 that Pogba had been suspended for a whopping four years thanks to the failed doping test, with the midfielder immediately lodging an appeal against the decision after stating that he’d “never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations”.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport have now confirmed that said appeal has been successful, with Pogba’s ban been reduced to 18 months, meaning he will be eligible to play football again in March 2025.
In a statement released on his social media accounts, Pogba expressed his relief that his “nightmare” ban was set to come to an end soon:
“Finally the nightmare is over. I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again.
“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.”
Pogba will be able to return to training with current club Juventus in January 2025 ahead of his return to football.
