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In recent days, two stories of contrasting nature have spread. Late last month, Paul Pogba, who won the FIFA World Cup with France in 2018, was handed a four-year ban due to elevated testosterone levels in his system, which would not have been imaginable without illegal outdoor supplementation. Then, on Tuesday, two-time Grand Slam winner Simona Halep’s four-year doping ban was reduced to nine months through CAS (the Court of Arbitration for Sport). He concluded that Halep had accidentally taken the banned substance, but noted that she deserved to have taken precautions. Therefore, it may not be completely exempt. Hence the easing in the duration of the ban.
When Halep was banned from playing through an independent court in September 2023, many thought it was the end of her career, and rightly so. She was 31 at the time and a four-year ban would have brought her to an age where tennis players don’t return; instead, they are contemplating retirement. Moreover, staying away from the game for so long would have taken away his merit in the game and ended his career for good, of course.
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But the CAS ruling raised her from the dead. No wonder their joy knew no bounds after the verdict. ” In the midst of this difficult journey, my unwavering confidence in the integrity of the facts and the principles of justice has been my beacon. ” . . . This ordeal was a testament to resilience. The triumph of the event is a bittersweet vindication that, although belated, is immensely gratifying. . . I can’t wait to turn this page and sign up for the excursion with renewed energy. and a revitalized spirit,” she wrote on Instagram.
This progression involving Halep would certainly give Pogba and his fans hope. Pogba took a similar stance on the matter, according to which he took the substance unknowingly. If the genius of the 30-year-old midfielder manages to convince CAS and get her sanction reduced like Halep, there will be nothing like it for the fans. Like Halep, the former Manchester United star who joined Italian giants Juventus in 2022 on a free transfer, is a wonderful performer in the world of sport. If he fails to convince CAS, it will be the loss of football. Players of his caliber and air of mystery don’t break into the level every day.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri echoed these sentiments. He said: “It’s very sad from both a human and a football point of view. We’ve lost an ordinary player. I’ve had the opportunity to work with him, to coach him, and it’s very difficult to track down players like him. . . ‘
According to the CAS filing, Pogba has a good chance, as long as there is any fact to his claims that he took the substance unknowingly. Dinamo Zagreb’s Arijan Adim’s suspension was reduced by two years in 2017 after he was able to prove that he had not done so. voluntarily. On the other hand, Bulgarian footballer Georgi Yomov failed to convince CAS and his four-year ban remained in force. He blamed his brother for the misstep, which didn’t pan out. Then there’s the case of Halep. She charged through the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on Oct. 7, 2022. He charged her with some other offence (relating to irregularities in her athlete’s biological passport) in May 2023, which was rejected by CAS on Tuesday. The nine-month ban is retroactive, meaning it ended on July 6, 2023.
The Romanian, who won the 2018 French Open and Wimbledon the following year, last competed at the 2022 U. S. Open, where she stunned Daria Snigur in the first round. In fact, it has a moment of life with the suspension reduced. Pogba and other CAS members Focus a lot on Halep’s development, make no mistake.