Video: “People avoided me, even my wife,” Pogba opens up on isolation during doping ban
Paul Pogba
Abdullateef Fowewe
French midfielder, Paul Pogba has described the deep personal and professional isolation he endured during his 18‑month doping ban, saying people avoided him, brands cut ties, and even his wife distanced herself at times.
Recall that in August 2023, while playing for Juventus, Pogba tested positive for DHEA, a banned substance that can raise testosterone levels.
He was provisionally suspended in September 2023, and Italy’s anti‑doping tribunal later imposed a four‑year ban.
Pogba appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which in October 2024 reduced the sanction to 18 months, ruling the violation was not intentional and stemmed from a supplement prescribed by a doctor in Florida.
With the ban backdated to 11 September 2023, he became eligible to return in March 2025.
Juventus terminated his contract during the suspension.
In summer 2025, Pogba signed a two‑year deal with AS Monaco, marking his return to competitive football after more than two years away.
Speaking after his ban was lifted, Pogba said the episode exposed how quickly fame and relationships can become conditional.
“When I was banned from football, reality hit me. People avoided me even my wife at times, and that hurt the most. Brands cancelled deals, and fashion shows stopped inviting me,” Pogba said.
He has framed the experience as a hard lesson about the fragility of public perception and sponsorship in elite sport, noting that he considered retirement when the initial four‑year ban was handed down.
Since joining Monaco, Pogba has been eased back into action, making his debut in November 2025 in limited minutes as the club manages his fitness after the long layoff.
