Toure set for return from drugs ban next week

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure is set make his return from a six-month drug ban in an African Nations Cup qualifier one day after his suspension ends early next month.

The Ivory Coast has added the 30-year-old to its squad for the September 3 match against Rwanda in Kigali, the country's football federation said on its website (www.fif-ci.com).

The match takes place just 24 hours after the ban imposed on the defender expires, with Toure sidelined for six months following a failed drugs test resulting from a diet pill his wife had given him.

The Ivorian federation said it had sought clearance from world soccer governing body FIFA before adding Toure to a 21-man squad named earlier in the week.

They were told FIFA had no objection to the player training with the rest of his national team mates next week in preparation for the qualifier.

In May, an English FA commission said Toure admitted the offence after taking "water tablets" obtained through his wife and found there no intent "to enhance sporting performance or to mask the use of a performance enhancing substance."

The ban saw Toure miss the final three months of last season, including the FA Cup victory where City ended a 35-year wait for a trophy.

His first potential game back for his club is against Wigan Athletic on September 10.

The Ivory Coast have already qualified for next year's Nations Cup finals but will be seeking to maintain a 100 percent record in Group H.