Drink-drive football star Yaya Toure: I didn't intentionally consume alcohol

Manchester City star Yaya Toure has apologised to fans after admitting drink-driving, but the Muslim footballer insisted he had 'not intentionally consumed alcohol'.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Dec 2016, 14:06 BST
Updated 14th Dec 2016, 14:17 BST
File photo dated 19/11/16 of Manchester City footballer Yaya Toure, who has apologised to fans after admitting drink-driving, but insisted that he had "not intentionally consumed alcohol". PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday December 13, 2016. The Ivory Coast international midfielder said on Tuesday he had admitted the charge at a Monday court hearing, after being arrested in Dagenham, east London, on November 28. See PA story COURTS Toure. Photo credit should read: John Walton/PA WireFile photo dated 19/11/16 of Manchester City footballer Yaya Toure, who has apologised to fans after admitting drink-driving, but insisted that he had "not intentionally consumed alcohol". PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday December 13, 2016. The Ivory Coast international midfielder said on Tuesday he had admitted the charge at a Monday court hearing, after being arrested in Dagenham, east London, on November 28. See PA story COURTS Toure. Photo credit should read: John Walton/PA Wire
File photo dated 19/11/16 of Manchester City footballer Yaya Toure, who has apologised to fans after admitting drink-driving, but insisted that he had "not intentionally consumed alcohol". PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday December 13, 2016. The Ivory Coast international midfielder said on Tuesday he had admitted the charge at a Monday court hearing, after being arrested in Dagenham, east London, on November 28. See PA story COURTS Toure. Photo credit should read: John Walton/PA Wire

The Ivory Coast international midfielder, 33, was fined £54,000 and banned from driving for 18 months after appearing in court on Monday.

The £200,000-a-week former Barcelona star, who joined Manchester City for £24 million in 2010, said yesterday that while he had not contested the charge, he had not deliberately consumed alcohol.

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In a statement released on his website he said: “I have always refused alcohol. Anyone who knows me or follows football will have seen me refuse champagne for man-of-the-match performances because of my commitment to my religion.

“The matter has now been resolved in court on Monday. As I was above the permitted limit when tested on the night, I decided not to challenge the charge.

“However, it was important to me that I told the court that I had not intentionally consumed alcohol. The judge in his sentencing remarks accepted that I had not been intentionally drinking.”

Yaya, the brother of former Liverpool and Arsenal defender Kolo Toure, was arrested in Dagenham, east London, on November 28.

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His statement did not explain how or where he had unintentionally consumed alcohol.

He had been due to appear at Barkingside Magistrates Court in east London yesterday but the hearing was moved to the previous day. Court officials confirmed the fine and ban yesterday.

The midfielder, a former captain of Ivory Coast, was frozen out of the first-team picture by City manager Pep Guardiola in September following controversial comments by his outspoken agent, Dimitri Seluk. That stand-off ended when Toure issued an apology in November.

Related topics:Manchester CityPep GuardiolaBarcelonaLondon