Suspended for several months for doping, Paul Pogba received the good news on Thursday that his sentence has been largely reduced.
Testing positive for testosterone since August 2023 and sidelined before being suspended in September of the same year, Pau Labile Pogba never found the field again. While he is expected to miss the pitch for four years, the former Manchester United midfielder saw his sentence reduced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Paul Pogba, the big relief
September 11, 2023 will have been an unforgettable day for Paul Pogba. That day, the French international central midfielder (91 caps, 11 goals) was provisionally suspended due to his testosterone diagnosis a few weeks earlier. In February 2024, the result of the counter-analysis carried out in the Acqua Acetosa laboratory clarified that the substance taken was indeed Dhea. So, the federal prosecutor’s office suspended the 31-year-old for four years.
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Confident that he never knowingly took such substances even if he admits to taking these products, the 2018 world champion appealed the decision to the CAS. A few months later, the sentence fell. Indeed, the Arbitral Tribunal ruled in favor of Paul Pogba by reducing his sentence to 18 months instead of four years initially.
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“Finally, the nightmare is over”
Excellent news for the former Red Devils player, who was threatened by the termination of his contract by Juventus Turin. After this decision by the CAS, the French central midfielder lets us hear his relief, he who had “can’t wait to get back on the field” to feed his passion. “Finally, the nightmare is over. I look forward to the day when I can achieve my dreams again”he wrote in a press release shared through the agency that manages his communication.
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“I have always maintained that I have never knowingly violated WADA regulations when I took a nutritional supplement prescribed to me by a doctor, and which does not affect or improve the performance of the male athletes (…) I play with integrity, and although I must accept that this is a strict liability offense, I would like to thank the CAS judges who listened to my explanations. This time has been extremely trying for me, as everything I have worked so hard for has been put on hold. Thanks again for all the love and support. I can’t wait to get back on the field.”added Paul Pogba.
If all goes well, the French central midfielder should start playing again in March 2025.
