Read the official statement explaining why Paul Pogba’s ban has been reduced to 18 months by CAS.
The statement, released on Monday afternoon, confirmed news circulating on Friday that Pogba’s four-year doping ban had been reduced to just 18 months.
“Lausanne, 7 October 2024 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has issued its decision in the appeal filed by the football player Paul Pogba (the Player) against the decision rendered on 28 February 2024 by the National Anti-Doping Tribunal of the Italian National Anti-Doping Agency (NADO Italia) (the Challenged Decision) in which he was found to have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) (DHEA, classified under “non-endogenous testosterone metabolites” by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)) and sanctioned with a four-year period of ineligibility commencing on 11 September 2023 and a fine of EUR 5,000. The CAS Panel in charge of the matter partially-upheld the appeal filed by Paul Pogba. It has confirmed the ADRV but reduced the sanction imposed on the Player to an 18-month period of ineligibility, commencing on 11 September 2023, and cancelled the fine,” CAS said.
“At this time, only the decision has been notified to the parties. The reasoned Arbitral Award, with the grounds for the Panel’s decision, will be issued to the parties as soon as possible. The CAS Panel provided the following information in relation to its decision:
“The CAS Panel based its decision on the evidence and legal arguments made that Mr Pogba’s ingestion of DHEA, the substance for which he tested positive, was not intentional and was the result of erroneously taking a supplement prescribed to him by a medical doctor in Florida, after Mr Pogba had been given assurances that the medical doctor, who had claimed to treat several high level US and international athletes, was knowledgeable and would be mindful of Mr Pogba’s anti-doping obligations under the World Anti-Doping Code. Mr Pogba sought a sanction of only 12 months in recognition of the presence of some fault on his part (he did not seek a determination of no fault or negligence from the CAS Panel).
“NADO Italia argued that the Player’s recklessness was serious and justified a 4-year ban. Mr Pogba’s case was supported by several experts. Much of the evidence provided by Mr Pogba was unopposed. The CAS Panel determined, however, that Mr Pogba was not without fault and that, as a professional football player, he should have paid a greater care in the circumstances.
“The CAS Panel’s decision is final and binding, with the exception of the parties’ right to file an appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal within 30 days on limited grounds.”
Pogba can return to action in March 2025, but Juventus are still preparing to terminate his contract, according to several sources in Italy.