Toure handed six-month ban

KOLO TOURE last night escaped with a six-month ban for his failed drugs test.

The Manchester City defender is clear to play again just three weeks into the new season on September 2.
And the Ivory Coast star admitted: "I am relieved. This has been a difficult period for me." Toure, 30, can consider himself lucky as according to World Anti-Doping Agency regulations he could have faced a two-year suspension.
He said: "I am sad to have missed the team's triumph of securing Champions League football and also the FA Cup victory.
"But I am relieved I will be able to return to football in September and thank the FA's commission for their understanding."
Toure tested positive for a specified substance after the Manchester derby on February 12 when he was an unused substitute.
City received the results on March 2 and he was immediately withdrawn from that night's FA Cup tie against Aston Villa and suspended.
Claims in March that Toure had taken some of his wife's slimming pills were backed up by the findings.
The commission believed "he did not intend to enhance sporting performance or to mask the use of a performance-enhancing substance".