The Court of Arbitration for Sport granted Paul Pogba’s appeal and reduced his doping ban, accepting his claim that he did not intentionally consume a banned substance.
Cas reduced the ban from four years to 18 months but noted that the player should have been more careful.
The Italian national anti-doping tribunal (Nado) suspended the 31-year-old in February after a positive drug test revealed high levels of testosterone.
Pogba took his case to Cas, who “confirmed the anti-doping rule violation but shortened the penalty” to 18 months, beginning September 11, 2023.
Pogba’s close sources informed BBC Sport that he can train again in January and return to the field in March.
The ex-Manchester United player claimed that his offense was unintentional and happened because he mistakenly took a prescribed supplement from a doctor in Florida.
Cas said external Pogba did not “seek a determination of no fault or negligence” but wanted his ban reduced to 12 months instead. However, Nado believed the four-year punishment should have stood because “the player’s recklessness was serious”.
The Cas panel “partially upheld the appeal” but “determined, however, that Mr Pogba was not without fault and that, as a professional football player, he should have paid greater care in the circumstances.”
There is a 30-day period to appeal the decision to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, but only on limited grounds.
In September 2023, Pogba was provisionally suspended after a random test following Juventus’ first match of the 2023-24 season on August 20.
Nado confirmed the positive test in a second sample in October, leading to a four-year suspension request by the anti-doping prosecutor’s office.
“Finally, the nightmare is over,” said Pogba when the reduction of his ban was revealed last week. “I can look forward to the day I can follow my dreams again.
“I play with integrity, and although I must accept that this is a strict liability offense, I want to record my thanks to the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s judges who heard my explanation.
“This has been a hugely distressing period in my life because everything I have worked so hard for has been put on hold.”