Paul Pogba in Talks with Marseille After Ban Reduction

Paul Pogba is reportedly engaged in advanced discussions to join French club Marseille in the upcoming January transfer window. This development follows the reduction of his initial four-year doping suspension to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The CAS decided to cut down the suspension after accepting the Juventus midfielder’s argument that his use of a banned substance was not intentional. However, the CAS noted that the France international should have exercised greater caution regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Originally, Pogba was sanctioned by Italy‘s national anti-doping tribunal (NADO) in February. The decision came after a routine drugs test revealed elevated levels of testosterone in his system, a hormone known for enhancing endurance capabilities.

Pogba appealed the ruling, and while the CAS confirmed the presence of an anti-doping rule violation, they opted to reduce the sanction to 18 months, effective from September 11, 2023. This decision allows Pogba to resume training in January, with eligibility to play again starting in March, according to sources close to Pogba who spoke to BBC Sport.

In defense, Pogba argued that his breach was unintentional, attributing it to inadvertently consuming a supplement recommended by a medical professional in Florida. Nevertheless, Pogba did not request a determination of complete innocence or lack of negligence. Instead, he sought a reduction of the suspension to 12 months, countered by NADO’s position that the original four-year sanction was warranted due to Pogba’s serious recklessness.

The CAS panel ultimately decided to partially uphold Pogba’s appeal but insisted that as a professional footballer, Pogba should have demonstrated heightened diligence.