I only know that some players tried to explain that it must have been the toothpaste or some other weird coincidence, but did anyone who was popular ever get away with such a story?
I am not sure anyone has ever gotten away with doping offense without a ban. irrespective of nationality or club status; even almighty rio ferdinand was banned in the 2000s too. Pogba claims it was a doctor prescribed medicine but i am not sure if the anti doping guys will accept any of the excuses. Looks like a retirement soon for Paul Pogba
Yes and even if it is true that the medicine was prescribed, it would never change the fact that the substance is on a list that counts it as inadmissible doping. This excuse or any similar excuse has never helped and the anti doping boards would undermine their effectiveness on all levels if they let any such excuse count and help a player get away with it.
It is a tricky topic though because I have always thought about the possibility (also in tennis) that if someone wants to get rid of a rival, it could be tried to mix forbidden substances into a bottle of water or food or whatever is possible to get that substance injected into someone's body.
But in this case when Pogba already admitted that it was his doctor, he is also not 17 years of age when he could be too naive and just believe what a doctor says. In professional sports every player with that experience would ask the club doctors from the domestic league whether it is ok to take the substance X, Y, or Z.