PAUL POGBA has insisted he is “not a cheater” after the former Manchester United star broke his silence on his doping ban.
Pogba had his FOUR-YEAR suspension reduced to 18-months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport earlier this month after an appeal.
The France international opened up on his experiences in an interview with Sky Sports News.
Pogba insisted that he isn’t a cheater as he sat down to explain what happened with his ban.
He said: “I accept responsibility of 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.”
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Asked to reassure his fans that he has always played clean and not taken performance enhancing drugs, Pogba replied: “When you see me, you know me. People know me.
“So even when everything happened people said: ‘we know Paul, he would never take that. If he did, he wouldn’t have known and it won’t have been on purpose’.
“And this it totally the truth. I’m an honest person, I would say it.”
He added: “I am not a cheater, I am someone that loves my sport. I love the game and I would never, ever. I like to win fairly and people know that.
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“You see me. I’m a bad loser, but I am not a cheater – that’s for sure.”
Pogba was slapped with a four-year ban in February after testing positive for the banned substance DHEA.
But CAS’ decision to reduce his ban to 18-months means he will now be able to return to training with Juventus in January and will be eligible to play from March onwards.
Pogba opened up on his plans for when he returns to football, pressing that his main goal is to get back on the pitch – wherever that may be.
He said: “I would just love to be [back] on the pitch, on any pitch.
“First it’s for sure Juventus and I want to start training with my teammates.
“It’s tough to be alone doing passes for yourself on the wall. My main focus right now is to get back training, get fit, be on the pitch and be doing what I love.”
But the 31-year-old is convinced that he can still play at the highest level when he makes his return, with hopes to return to the French national team.
He added: “That’s what I hope [to play for France]. It’s in my mind for sure but I have to be ready for that.
“There’s players there that deserve to be playing and deserve to be in the national team.
“I have to win my place back in the team again.”
In a separate interview with ESPN, Pogba explained that a return to Juventus is his main goal – admitting he’s even willing to take a salary-cut to make it happen.
He said: “I’m ready to cut and to reduce my salary to stay at Juve.
“I will talk with Thiago Motta. I want to demonstrate to be a great player again.”
Pogba has not played since appearing off the bench against Empoli back in September 2023.
He made just two appearances for the Old Lady before his ban came into effect.
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The initial suspension had seen him banned from playing until late 2027, by which time he would be 34-years-old.
But his new reduced punishment could allow him another shot at playing top level football once more.
What is DHEA?
PAUL POGBA tested positive for elevated levels of DHEA, a hormone that naturally occurs in the adrenal gland, in August 2023.
DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, can be used to naturally boost testosterone production. It does not produce testosterone itself.
It is on the world anti-doping banned substances list and carries a maximum of four years if the athlete took it deliberately to enhance their performance.
DHEA can legally be sold over-the-counter in the US as a dietary product, known as prasterone.
It is also taken as an anti-ageing therapy, and to treat depression and the symptoms of menopause, although there is little evidence to suggest it is effective, and it can cause serious side effects.
In 2022, UFC fighter Bobby Green received a six-month ban after testing positive for a DHEA.
Green said he had not realised that DHEA was banned after seeing a video on YouTube, and took the supplement after his wife bought it from a supermarket.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
