Manchester City Plan Toure Drugs Fine

Kolo Toure is reportedly set to fight against Manchester City's plan to hand him a heavy fine over his failed drugs test in March. The Ivory Coast international defender was forced to serve a six-month ban from playing by an independent regulatory panel after failing a drugs test when he took one of his wife's slimming pills which contained a banned substance. However, having returned to action for City on completion of the ban, Toure is now set to face a disciplinary hearing with City chiefs over the issue. Toure is expected to be represented by PFA chief Gordon Taylor and his legal advisers at the hearing, while City's club lawyer Simon Cliff and football administrator Brian Marwood will also attend. It is being suggested that City plan to hit Toure with a fine of £1.5million or withhold substantial image-rights payments as punishment, while reports claim the player will not be prepared to accept that without a fight.

Manchester City Star Set For PSG Exit?

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure has admitted he would be interested in a move to big-spending Paris Saint-Germain. Toure recently returned from a six-month doping ban but, despite starting in the 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League earlier in October, he has found his route to the first team blocked by in-form centre-back pairing Joleon Lescott and Vincent Kompany. The 30-year-old could be involved again when City face Wolves in the Carling Cup on Wednesday, but the ex-Arsenal defender, who has never played in France before, has admitted the Paris project interests him. "I would be interested because of my current situation at City," he told RMC Sport. "If Paris call me, it wouldn't be like in previous years when I would say: 'Paris? I'm not so sure.' "Now, if they call me, I will listen to what they have to say. Looking at all the very good players Paris have, that really makes me want to go there, that's clear." Toure says the progress made Qatar Sports Investments pumped their cash into the capital club has made PSG an attractive proposition - and not just because of the money. "I know I'm not the only player interested," he explained. "There are other players who really want to play for PSG. Not just for the money, but also because we see there are very good investors who want the club to progress, to produce beautiful football and win trophies."

Kolo Toure: I'll prove my worth to fans

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure returns from a drugs ban admitting he wants to prove to people he does not need 'tablets' to be a top player. Good to be back: Kolo Toure trains with Samir Nasri Toure is available against Wigan on Saturday after a six-month suspension for failing a drugs test, which he attributed to a water tablet he used as a slimming aid. The Ivory Coast defender is determined to rebuild his reputation. 'I want to show the people who think Kolo Toure needed a tablet to be a better footballer, that's not the case. It was an accident,' he said. 'I want to give 100 per cent every game to show I don't need a water tablet. I have been in the Premier League for 10 years. I have played a lot of games and been successful. I will do that again.' Toure, 30, has taken only one week off in six months to keep his fitness levels up, even though his ban included City's training ground. 'Once, I was at home at 1am, went to the gym I had in the house and started running and thinking about September when I could train and play again. 'For me, things come from God. Good things happen, bad things happen, but they are all good things when they come from God. He does things because he wants you to be a better man.'

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure banned for six months after positive drugs test

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure will miss the start of next season after being banned from all football for failing a drugs test.The Ivorian has been hit with the suspension by the FA after admitting a doping offence for taking his wife's diet pills. The ban has been back dated to March 2 when he was suspended by his club, meaning he will not be abel to kick a ball again anywhere until September 2.The City defender had to sit out the last two months of the season and missed his team's FA Cup triumph over Stoke as well as seeing his team-mate wrap up third spot in the Premier League and thus Champions League qualification.In confirming the ban on Thursday evening, the FA revealed the Toure will also be the subject of target testing for a period of two years from 26 May 2011, but admitted the defender did not take the pills to try and increase performance.

"He did not intend to enhance sporting performance or to mask the use of a performance enhancing substance," the statement read.

"The Player accepted he was at fault and with that concession we agree. 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 expect of a professional footballer in these circumstances."

Toure admitted he was relieved the saga was over but claimed he was disappointed to have missed out on City's end of season successes.
“This has been a difficult period for me, and I am sad to have missed the team’s triumph of securing Champions League football for Manchester City and also the FA Cup victory at Wembley," commented Toure," he told City's official website.

"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.”