Paul Pogba's Doping Ban Reduced to 18 Months

Paul Pogba, the Juventus midfielder, is set to return to football in March 2025 after successfully appealing a four-year doping ban, which was reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Initially suspended for testing positive for DHEA, a banned substance, Pogba maintains that the ingestion was unintentional and has expressed a strong desire to rejoin the France national team for the 2026 World Cup. Despite the emotional toll of his ban, Pogba is motivated by support from teammates and is willing to take a pay cut to continue his career with Juventus. He acknowledged taking responsibility for the supplement but believes the original punishment was excessively harsh. As he prepares for his comeback, Pogba reflects on the hardships of the past year, describing it as a 'darkness' that he is eager to overcome as he looks forward to a second chance in his career.