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When Can Paul Pogba Return To Football?

Paul Pogba was born on 15th March 1993 in Lagny-sur-Marne, France. From a young age, Pogba showed immense talent and passion for football. He began his youth career at US Roissy-en-Brie before moving to Torcy and then to Le Havre, where his performances caught the attention of major European clubs. In 2009, Pogba joined the youth academy of Manchester United, marking the beginning of his professional journey.

The player failed to impress during his first tenure with Manchester United and was sold to Juventus in 2012. He flourished at Juventus, and soon, the Red Devils decided that they had let him leave too early. They paid a massive fee and brought the player back to the club. While Paul Pogba felt hard done by United, he felt like he had unfinished business at the club and decided to re-join them to try and impress them with his talent.

While his second stint was full of mixed performances, he played a crucial role in helping United win the League Cup and the Europa League in his first season back. Pogba’s influence on the pitch was undeniable, and he was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2018-19 season. While his United career was not outstanding, he excelled with France internationally.

Paul Pogba made his senior debut for France in 2013 and played a pivotal role in their 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign, earning the Best Young Player award. Pogba was instrumental in France’s journey to the final of UEFA Euro 2016 and their triumphant 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign, where he scored in the final. Paul Pogba left Manchester United and re-joined Juventus in 2022, and it was here that the doping incident and ban took place.

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Why Was Paul Pogba Banned?

Credit: Newsweek

In a shocking turn of events, Pogba was provisionally suspended in September 2023 after testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone following Juventus’ first match of the season on 20th August 2023. The Italian National Anti-Doping Tribunal (NADO) confirmed the positive test in a second sample, leading to a four-year ban for the French midfielder. Paul Pogba expressed his shock and heartbreak over the suspension, maintaining that he never knowingly or deliberately doped.

The substance found in Pogba’s system was dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a hormone that increases endurance. Paul Pogba argued that the ingestion of DHEA was unintentional and occurred after he consumed a supplement prescribed by a medical doctor in Florida. Despite his claims, the anti-doping prosecutor’s office requested a four-year suspension, which was initially upheld.

Has Pogba’s Ban Been Reduced?

Pogba appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing that his ingestion of the banned substance was not intentional. The CAS panel partially upheld his appeal, reducing the ban from four years to 18 months. The panel acknowledged that Paul Pogba was not without fault and should have exercised greater care, but they accepted his explanation that the ingestion was unintentional.

Paul Pogba is returning to football in March 2025 🚨

The Juventus midfielder won his appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport and his ban has been reduced from four years to 18 months.

Pogba in a statement:

'Finally the nightmare is over, I can look forward to the day… pic.twitter.com/sYVYtsh1vR

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 4, 2024

The reduction of the ban was a significant relief for Pogba, who expressed his gratitude to the CAS judges and reiterated his commitment to playing with integrity. The ban, which started on 11th September 2023, will now allow Paul Pogba to return to football in March 2025. While the player can officially start playing in games for Juventus in March, he will be allowed to start training with the club from January onwards.

It would appear that the worst period in Paul Pogba’s career will soon be coming to an end. The star would surely be heartbroken over a four-year ban and would be delighted to see it get reduced. He said he was not finished and denied all claims of a possible retirement when this ban was announced, and he was right. Now that the ban is being lifted, he will be able to represent both club and country soon enough, and the player even posted a picture of his boots on Instagram to indicate his impending return to the beautiful game.

For more news and updates on Paul Pogba, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram.

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