Written by 
Afolabi Ezekiel – October 8, 2024
In February 2024, Paul Pogba received a four-year ban from football after testing positive to a substance that raised levels of testosterone. Following the judgement, he was out of football until 2027 till last Friday when his sanction was reduced to 18 months, scheduling his potential return to March 2025.
Pogba is one of the best players of his generation and his story is looking to end like one of those who failed to fulfill their potential. But after Friday’s judgement, the story continues.
The Ban and It’s Impacts
Pogba’s test returned positive in 2023 and he has not played since September last year. He publicly announced his innocence and denied deliberately taking any banned substance, but Italy’s anti-doping authority imposed a heavy sanction.
He appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and, the ban was reduced by less than 50%. The court accepted Pogba’s claim that he ingested a supplement based on the doctor’s recommendation that it was not against anti-doping rules.
According to the Athletic, CAS believed that Pogba “was without fault, and should have paid a greater care” hence it’s defiance on reducing the ban. Pogba posted on social media “I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again.”
In the next four months, Pogba will be able to resume team training while he will be eligible to return to competitive football in March when his 18-month ban ends.
The question is where he will continue his career because his contract with Juventus runs until 2026, because there is no sign that the club is aiming to reintegrate him into the team as per The Athletic.
What’s Next for Pogba and Juventus
Juventus head coach Thiago Motta spoke on the Pogba’s situation over the weekend. “The club will evaluate what to do. Pogba has been a great player who hasn’t played for a long time.”
According to the Athletic, Paul Pogba was on the minimum wage of €2,000 a month while his appeal played out and it was generally expected that Juventus would have terminated his deal if his four-year ban had been upheld.
Life has been tough for Pogba since the 2018 World Cup. Injuries kept him on the sidelines at Manchester United has never left him since he returned to Juventus in 2022. He also found himself in a family situation, the precursor to a doping ban.
If it hasn’t all gone wrong, Pogba would be having a great career. With the reduced ban, it’s now or never for Pogba to attain the lofty heights he once dreamed of.