Paul Pogba was never due to play in cancelled Kings Cup despite promotional appearance
Paul Pogba was not due to play in this weekend's postponed Kings Cup tournament in Dubai, despite previous reports to the contrary.
Earlier this month, Pogba successfully won an appeal against his four-year ban from doping, and had it reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
He was suspended for four years in 2023 after an initial sample taken following a game against Udinese showed DHEA - a compound that promotes the production of hormones in the body including testosterone - in his system.
In response to the ban announcement, Pogba denied 'knowingly or deliberately taking any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations'.
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And in an interview with Sky Sports following the appeal verdict, he said: "People know me. When they saw it happened, they knew it was not on purpose. This is totally the truth. I am an honest person. I would say it."
He continued: "I am a not cheater. I am someone who loves my sport and loves the game - I don't like to cheat, I like to win fairly. People know that."
The new verdict means that the Frenchman will be allowed to return to competitive football in March. He is currently a free agent after agreeing to terminate his contract with Juventus.
There had been some reports claiming that he hasdbeen permitted to play in a Kings Cup match in Dubai this weekend, which was due to feature legends from across the world of football.
But it has emerged that Pogba was only ever due to appear at the tournament as a spectator, rather than participating in the match itself.
The likes of Roberto Carlos, David Silva and John Terry were all said to have signed up, with Carlos given a different shirt to everyone else.
It is understood that Pogba is fully focused on his fitness and is determined not to risk anything that may cause injury when his priority remains to return to competitive football at the highest level.
However, the match - which was for charity - was postponed just four days before it was due to take place.
The organisers of the event took to Instagram to inform fans, writing: "We regret to inform you that the King's Cup Dubai has been rescheduled to February 2025 due to unforeseen circumstances.
"We will announce the specific dates for the rescheduled event soon, so please stay tuned for updates."
Topics: Paul Pogba, Football
Ryan Smart