City doctor approved diet pills, claims banned Touré

Manchester City's Kolo Touré told the Football Association that his club's doctor had assured him that the dietary aids which have led to his six-month ban complied with football's drugs regime.

Touré, who took the water tablets after he had "become obsessed with his weight and more particularly the appearance of his belly", the FA Commission which heard his case last month was told, packed tablets in a medicine box when he travelled to City's fourth-round FA Cup tie against Notts County on 30 January.

Touré, who told the Commission that his wife, Mahoo, had been taking the tablets for a year, claimed his wife had been told by a friend who had purchased them that they were "fine for a footballer."

But Touré claimed that it was the former City doctor Jamie Butler who offered him most reassurance when he looked through his bag in the hotel restaurant before the Notts County game and examined the medication. Touré says Dr Butler told him "everything in the bag is OK". Dr Butler contested this version of events. He said Touré did not have any products with him before the Cup game and said the Ivorian had simply informed him that he wanted to start taking supplements by Herbalife – sponsors of City's forthcoming United States tour.