Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester City defender Kolo Toure hit with six-month ban for failed drug test
Share[LNB]Manchester City defender Kolo Toure will be back in action by the start of September after receiving a six-month ban for failing a drugs test. [LNB]The Ivory Coast defender tested positive after a game against rivals Manchester United in February. [LNB] Stuck in the stands: Kolo Toure has not featured for Man City since March[LNB]He failed the test because of a banned substance contained in a diet pill he was given by his wife. [LNB]Toure admitted the offence at an FA hearing in London on Thursday but asked for the accidental nature of hisactions to be taken into consideration. [LNB]The FA commission also heard written character references from City manager Roberto Mancini and Toure's former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.[LNB] At 8pm the FA announced that Toure had been banned for six months. But given that he was suspended as soon as the offence came to light at the start of March he will actually missless than a month of the start of the next Barclays Premier League campaign. [LNB] One of the lads: Toure continued to be seen in and around the Manchester City squad, but did not play[LNB]The FA confirmed Toure had taken a water tablet not knowing it contained a banned substance but added that the player's efforts to determine the exact make-up of the pills had been inadequate. [LNB]An FA statement said: 'He was at fault in the limited and perfunctory efforts he made in relation to the water tablets; the checks he made in relation to those tablets were inadequate and fell some way below what it would be reasonable to expectof a professional footballer in these circumstances.' [LNB]The FA also announced that Toure willbe target-tested for drugs sporadically for two years, starting yesterday. City will be relatively pleased with the decision. [LNB] In his defence: Toure has been one of City's best buys, costing ?16m from Arsenal[LNB]The maximum suspension the FA could have imposed is two years, while Mancini had feared a ban of nine monthsor more that would effectively have kept Toure out until Christmas and beyond. [LNB]As it is, the damage to the club has been minimal given that in his absence City still managed to win the FA Cup and qualify for next season's Champions League. [LNB]Toure said: 'This has been a difficult period for me and I am sad to have missed the team's triumph of securing Champions League football, and also the FA Cup victory at Wembley. [LNB]'But I am relieved that I will be able to return to football in September and thank the FA's commission for their understanding about my case in coming to their decision today.'[LNB] Man City's Toure awaits his fate as FA prepare to make decision on drug rapHistory boys! Yaya's Wembley winner ends 35 year wait for a trophyFA Cup hits the catwalk! City stars parade trophy at fashion fundraiserAll the latest Manchester City news, features and opinion [LNB] Explore more:People: Kolo Toure, Roberto Mancini Places: London
