France international and former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba will make a return to football after his appeal succeeded in reducing his ban. The golden boy of his country and a pivotal player in the 2018 World Cup win has said that his “nightmare is over” as his four-year ban was reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Under contract for Italian giants Juventus until 2026, he will be able to return to football from 11th March 2025, four days before his 32nd birthday.
“Finally the nightmare is over. I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again,” said Pogba who has been suspended since the positive test was announced in September 2023. “I always stated that I never knowingly breached World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations when I took a nutritional supplement prescribed to me by a doctor, which does not affect or enhance the performance of male athletes.”
Pogba tested positive for testosterone in August 2023 and was given the maximum punishment by the Italian anti-doping court. He immediately lodged an appeal to the CAS. Four years is the standard under global anti-doping rules but can be reduced if the athlete can prove it was not intentional, if there had been a contamination causing the positive result, or if they provide “substantial assistance” to investigators.
France manager Didier Deschamps has hailed the decision, saying he is “delighted” for Pogba. “I am also very happy for Paul,” he said. “Of course, it is still a heavy sentence, but 18 months is less severe than the 4 years provided for in the first sentence. So there you have it. There is this light that is coming back on, there will be steps to take, but humanly, for him, it is very good news. Well, obviously, in the meantime, in relation to his club, Juventus, which is his employer today, there will be discussions, but at least he knows that in March 2025 he will return to play. And he loves football and playing football so much.”
This hints at a likely return to play for the national team alongside teammate Kylian Mbappe. Pogba’s absence was likely felt in 2022 as Les Bleus lost to Argentina after a dramatic penalty shootout.
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Image: Антон Зайцев
