“The nightmare is over” – Ex-Man Utd midfielder Paul Pogba reacts to doping ban reduction

Paul Pogba has expressed his relief at the decision to reduce his doping ban from four years to 18 months, declaring the ‘nightmare is over’.

Pogba played 233 times for Manchester United between 2016 and 2022, winning Europa League and EFL Cup titles.

The 91-time France international — who won the 2018 World Cup with Les Bleus — then moved back to Juventus in the summer of 2022 but to say his return to Turin hasn’t worked out would be understating it.

Pogba played just 10 games across all competitions in 2022/23 due to knee surgery and other various injuries. And then after playing just two matches, the midfielder’s 2023/24 campaign was derailed after he tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).

Pogba faced an existential threat to his career, with a four-year ban meaning he wouldn’t return to action until he was 34 years old, very much putting early retirement on the table.

At the time, Pogba strongly refuted the outcome of the tests and vowed to clear his name. Now, he has been vindicated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling that his ban should be reduced to just 18 months.

Pogba will be allowed to return to training in January, while he can start playing again for Juventus — who have stuck by him — in March.

Paul Pogba reacts to CAS ruling

Pogba has released a statement expressing his relief at CAS’s ruling and saying he ‘can’t wait to get back on the pitch’.

“Finally, the nightmare is over,” said Pogba (via Fabrizio Romano). “I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again.

“I always stated that I never knowingly breached Anti-Doping regulations, I play with integrity and I want to thank the Court of Arbitration who heard my explanation.

? Paul Pogba: “Finally, the nightmare is over”.

“I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again”.

“I always stated that I never knowingly breached Anti-Doping regulations, I play with integrity and I want to thank the Court of Arbitration who heard my… pic.twitter.com/oFl48oSQdS

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 4, 2024

“This has been a hugely distressing period in my life because everything I’ve worked so hard has been put on hold.

“Thank you for all the love and support.

“I can’t wait to get back on the pitch!”

Top photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images