FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Europa League - Semi Final - First Leg - Juventus v Sevilla - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - May 11, 2023 Juventus' Paul Pogba reacts REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo
(Reuters) - Paul Pogba's doping suspension was cut from four years to 18 months after experts supported the French soccer player's claims of having unintentionally ingested a banned substance, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Monday.
The France international was provisionally suspended by Italy's national anti-doping organisation (NADO Italia) in September 2023 after testing positive for DHEA - a banned substance that raises levels of testosterone.
CAS reduced the sentence last week, with Pogba saying his "nightmare is over". The 31-year-old, who has a contract with Italy's Juventus until June 2026, will be eligible to return to football in March.
In a statement, CAS said Pogba had argued that his ingestion of DHEA was not intentional and had occurred after he consumed a supplement prescribed to him by a medical doctor in Florida.
"Mr Pogba had been given assurances that the medical doctor, who had claimed to treat several high level U.S. and international athletes, was knowledgeable and would be mindful of Mr Pogba's anti-doping obligations under the World Anti-Doping Code...," CAS added.
"Mr Pogba's case was supported by several experts. Much of the evidence provided by Mr Pogba was unopposed.
"The CAS Panel determined, however, that Mr Pogba was not without fault and that, as a professional football player, he should have paid a greater care in the circumstances."
Pogba last played for Juventus in a 2-0 win at Empoli over a year ago. He had a disappointing second spell with Juve due to injuries since he returned to the Turin-based club following his departure from Manchester United on a free transfer in 2022.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
