Paul Pogba insisted he was “not a cheater” but took responsibility for his doping ban and revealed how his wife Zulay motivated him.
The French midfielder was suspended in February this year after testing positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a substance which can increase testosterone levels, following a drugs test following the first match of the campaign Juventus 2023-24. Initially suspended for four years, Pogba had his suspension significantly reduced to 18 months after a successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
If the ban had remained at four years, Pogba would not have been able to return to the pitch until 2027, when he would have been 35. However, with the ban now shortened, Pogba is expected to return to training in early 2025 and will be able to return to competition in March.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Pogba refuted accusations of intentional doping and claimed he had “not
never took doping products.” However, he believes that he should have been more careful and “take responsibility » of this whole ordeal because he “ Didn’t triple check.” “I like to win fairly,”
he declared. “I’m a sore loser, but I’m not a cheater. »
Not a cheater
Reflecting on the initial sanction, Pogba admitted that the severity of the four-year ban made him consider ending his football career. “ It occurred to me that maybe my career was over”he shared.
Throughout this turbulent period, Pogba credited his wife, Zulay, for helping him maintain his mental strength as she did her best to keep him grounded and motivated during his lowest moments. “ My wife told me: ‘You’re going to play again’ and ‘You’re going to get through this’.”revealed Pogba. Despite the emotional impact of the situation, Pogba admitted that the incident
“helped him grow as a man [et] to learn life lessons.
