French Footballer Paul Pogba breaks silence on doping ban

French midfielder footballer Paul Labile Pogba has broken silence after his 4-year suspension was reduced to just 18 months.

Highlights

Paul Pogba finally speaks following his 4 year ban reduction to 18 months
Paul Pogba opens up on how friends distanced themselves from him
Paul Pogba’s achievements

The 31-year-old was suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal (Nado) in February after a drug test found elevated levels of testosterone—a hormone that increases endurance—in his system.

Pogba however confirmed that he is accepting the responsibility but he is not at all a cheater.

“This is not me; I’m not a cheater; I accept responsibility for taking the supplement, but I didn’t triple check it—even if it came from a professional.

“If I have to be punished, then I’m fine with it. But it should never have been four years. I will accept 12 months.” Pogba said.

Pogba refuted the claims of cheating, saying that he is clean and would never do something that might put his career at risk.

“I’m someone who loves my sport; I love the game, and I would never, ever cheat. I like to win fairly.

Asked whether he has decided on which club he plans to join after the ban is over, the midfielder said that he is not certain of what the future holds, but at the moment all he wants is to get back to doing what he loves.

“I would just like to be on the pitch, any pitch. My main focus is to get back training, be fit, and be on the pitch doing what I love.” Pogba said:

The 30-year-old will be allowed to resume training in January and return to action in March, expressing gratitude for the opportunity accorded.

“It’s as if I’ve been given another chance; something that was taken from me has been returned. It’s a new opportunity in life.”

Paul Pogba has not played since appearing off the bench against Empoli back in September 2023.

Pogba being a loner

Pogba also revealed how friends distanced themselves from him following his ban from football.

“We are all human, we all have feelings, I’m telling you, when that ban happened, I truly realized what life is, Paul Pogba the famous guy is no more, people were avoiding me, I used to get invited to fashion weeks and events, now they were like we can’t use Pogba.

My friends were not calling me anymore as they used to.” Pogba shared.

Paul Pogba’s Achievements

The 31 year old French Midfielder Paul Pogba Pogba joined Juventus in July 2022 from Manchester United, for whom he made 154 league appearances in total, scoring 29 goals and providing 38 assists.

So far in his Serie A career, he has appeared 132 times in the competition, with 28 goals and 22 assists.