PAUL POGBA has revealed his friends stopped ringing him after his doping ban and admitted "the famous guy" was "no more". The Juventus and France midfielder, 31, was initially handed a four-year ban from football for a doping offence , before the suspension was reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. It means he is able to return to training with Juventus from January - and can play as soon as March.
In an interview with Sky Sports News , Pogba accepted responsibility for taking the banned supplement - DHEA - but was also adamant he is "not a cheater" . He also opened up about the impact it had on his personal relationships following the original four-year ban. And the World Cup winner, who had two stints at Manchester United , has claimed his friends stopped calling him following the suspension.
READ MORE ON PAUL POGBA Speaking to The Mail , he said: "We are all human, we all have feelings. When that [ban] happened, I realised what life is. "Paul Pogba - the famous guy - is no more.
People were avoiding me. "I used to get invited to fashion weeks and events like that. Now they were like, 'We can’t use Pogba'.
My friends weren’t ringing like the way they were ringing before. "When people hear doping it’s like they think you want to become the Incredible Hulk. Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS "That’s how people used to see me.
And public opinion means they can say what they want." Pogba spoke on his plans for when he.