Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has reportedly seen his doping ban reduced from four years to 18 months, meaning that his return to football is imminent.
The 31-year-old has not been involved in competitive action since the start of the 2023-24 season, playing two of Juventus' first three games of that Serie A campaign, most recently against Empoli on September 3, 2023.
Prior to that game, Pogba was an unused substitute against Udinese on August 20, 2023, although he was selected for a random drugs test after that game, which showed abnormal levels of testosterone.
A second 'B' sample was also found to have non-endogenous levels of the hormone, and after a provisional suspension, Pogba was banned from the sport for four years by the Italian Anti-Doping National Tribunal in February of this year.
However, the former Manchester United man - who would originally not have been able to return to football until September 2027 - immediately lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
According to the Daily Mail, Pogba was successful with his CAS appeal, and the midfielder's four-year suspension has now been slashed to 18 months, most of which he has already served.
When can Pogba return to football after doping ban reduced?
© Imago
As Pogba's first suspension started in September 2023, when the results of his first failed drugs test were revealed, the 31-year-old will be able to return to action in March 2025, just five months from now.
Furthermore, the World Cup winner apparently only has to wait until January of next year to start training with his team again, and he has also seen a €5,000 (£4,200) fine set aside.
The CAS reportedly concluded that Pogba 'inadvertently' took the banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which promotes testosterone growth, although it only has an effect on females rather than males.
As a result, Pogba would not have received an unfair competitive advantage, and the Frenchman has now been informed of the ruling as he prepares for a long-awaited return to football.
Juventus were expected to rip up Pogba's contract had the CAS upheld the initial four-year ban, which could have forced the midfielder into retirement, but he still has a deal with the Bianconeri until the summer of 2026.
The 31-year-old could make his comeback against Fiorentina on March 16, but before his doping ban, he had only made 11 appearances for Juventus following his return from Manchester United on a free transfer in 2022, having been plagued by injuries since going back to Italy.
Ben Knapton
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