Paul Pogba Doping Ban Explained: What Happened, the Appeal, and His Road Back to Football

Summary

• Pogba tested positive for DHEA after a Juventus match in August 2023.

• He was initially banned for four years by Italy’s anti-doping body.

• After appeal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced the suspension to 18 months in October 2024.

• Juventus and Pogba mutually agreed to terminate his contract in late 2024.

• Pogba signed with AS Monaco after his ban, marking his return to professional football.

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Paul Pogba, the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner and one of France’s most recognized midfielders faced one of the most significant setbacks of his career after a positive doping test in 2023 led to a lengthy suspension from professional football. This article breaks down what happened, why he was banned, how the ban was reduced, and where Pogba stands now in his comeback journey.

What Triggered the Ban? Positive Test for Banned Substance

In August 2023, Paul Pogba was tested by NADO Italia (Italy’s national anti-doping agency) after his Serie A club Juventus played a match against Udinese. Although he did not play in the game, the test detected dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) - a banned substance that can increase testosterone levels, potentially enhancing physical performance.

DHEA is prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Code due to its ability to influence hormone levels and endurance. A second sample also confirmed the presence of the substance.

Pogba's Appeal to CAS

Paul Pogba's first appearance after ban with Sky Sports

But in February 2024, Pogba appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

His appeal included -

• Denying any wrongdoing on purpose 

• Reduction of suspension to one year

• Nutritional supplement intake lead to the presence of DHEA

Initial Ban: Four Years Out of the Game

Following the positive test, Pogba was provisionally suspended in September 2023. In February 2024, Italy’s anti-doping tribunal handed him a four-year ban, the maximum sanction allowed under anti-doping regulations. The ban meant Pogba would have been sidelined from all football activity until 2027, effectively threatening the latter stages of his playing career.

Pogba strongly denied any intentional wrongdoing, insisting he had always played with integrity and had never sought to use banned substances to gain an unfair advantage.

Appeal to CAS: Ban Reduced to 18 Months

Pogba took his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the highest legal authority in sport. His legal team argued that:

• He did not intentionally break anti-doping rules, and

• The banned substance likely entered his system through a nutritional supplement that was prescribed, based on medical advice, but which contained DHEA without his knowledge.

On 4 October 2024, CAS reduced the suspension from four years to 18 months, acknowledging that his ingestion of DHEA was not intentional but still holding him responsible under strict liability anti-doping rules.

This decision allowed Pogba to become eligible to return to professional football from March 2025, significantly sooner than under the original sanction.

Contract and Club Situation

Following the initial ban, Pogba’s contract with Juventus, which was due to run until 2026 was mutually terminated in November 2024, as the club and player agreed to part ways amid uncertainty over his future.

Return to Football: AS Monaco and New Beginnings

After serving his suspension, Pogba signed a two-year contract with AS Monaco in June 2025, marking the official start of his comeback. Monaco, one of France’s top clubs and a competitor in European competition, offered Pogba an opportunity to rebuild his career in Ligue 1 after nearly two years out of the game.

His move to Monaco reunited him with French football and gave him a platform to regain fitness, form, and confidence while also offering a chance to rekindle ambitions of returning to the national team setup.

Pogba’s Response and Mindset

Throughout the ordeal, Pogba maintained that he never intended to cheat or enhance his performance illicitly. After CAS reduced his ban, he spoke openly about the emotional toll of missing competitive football and his eagerness to return:

“I cannot wait to be back on the pitch,” he said in an interview later in 2024, expressing relief at the CAS verdict and reaffirming his commitment to the sport."

Pogba framed his comeback not just as a return to fitness but as a personal and professional redemption.

What This Means for His Legacy

Paul Pogba’s case highlights several important aspects of modern sport:

• Strict liability: Athletes are responsible for any banned substance found in their body, whether intentional or not.

• The role of supplements and medical advice: Even well-intentioned treatments can pose risks if they contain prohibited compounds.

• Career resilience: A reduced ban and successful return show how athletes can still rebuild after major setbacks.

  
  

Pogba’s journey from World Cup champion to banned player and back into professional football remains a compelling and cautionary chapter in the complex world of elite sport.