Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, who was officially suspended for four years due to doping, has taken his final stand in the battle to rehabilitate his status, name, and most importantly, his salary. The French player has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne to overturn the ruling against him.
Calciomercato report how Pogba tested positive for testosterone during a routine anti-doping test after the Udinese-Juventus match on August 20, 2023. Following this, the Italian National Anti-Doping Tribunal suspended him on September 11. After his B sample confirmed the positive result on October 6, the Italian Anti-Doping Prosecutor requested a four-year ban on December 7. On March 1, the National Anti-Doping Tribunal accepted this request, with Pogba maintaining his innocence and refusing to plea bargain.
In response to the doping conviction, Juventus has taken precautionary measures. While not terminating his contract for just cause (due to the ongoing CAS appeal), the club has reduced Pogba’s salary to the minimum wage of just over €2,000 per month, or €442,477 annually.
The case may soon reach its conclusion, with Pogba hoping for a positive outcome that would allow him to return to football and potentially be reintegrated into the Juventus squad. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Pogba secretly travelled to Lausanne on Tuesday, September 4, to testify during the CAS hearing regarding his appeal. Now, all that remains is to await the verdict.
If the lengthy ban is upheld, Juventus’ next step would likely be the early termination of Pogba’s contract, which is currently set to expire on June 30, 2026.