Paul Pogba’s Doping Ban Reduced to 18 Months

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has successfully appealed his four-year doping ban, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reducing the suspension to 18 months. This decision means the French international will be eligible to resume playing for Juventus in March 2025.

Pogba, 31, tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) at the start of the 2023/24 season. DHEA is a compound known to promote the production of hormones in the body, including testosterone. Initially, Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal (TNA) imposed a four-year ban, which is the standard length under the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA).

The original ban, handed down in March 2024, would have kept Pogba out of football until August 2027. However, WADA rules allow for reduced sentences in cases where an athlete can prove the violation was unintentional, resulted from contamination, or if they provide “substantial assistance” to investigators.

Pogba’s case timeline:
– September 2023: Provisionally suspended after testing positive for DHEA
– December 2023: Italian anti-doping prosecutors requested a four-year ban
– March 2024: TNA imposed the four-year ban
– July 2024: CAS reduces ban to 18 months following Pogba’s appeal

The midfielder had initially requested a counter-analysis of his positive test, but those results also returned positive. Pogba opted not to enter a plea bargain with the anti-doping agency, which led to the case being tried before Italy’s anti-doping court.

With the reduced ban, Pogba’s suspension is backdated to his initial positive test, allowing him to return to competitive football in March 2025. This decision provides a lifeline for Pogba’s career, which had been under threat from the original four-year suspension.