As a devout Muslim, Yaya Toure is forbidden from consuming any form of alcohol, so you can imagine our collective surprise when he was convicted on drunk driving charges and banned from driving for 18 months.
Toure was returning with friends from a party when he was stopped by police and his blood alcohol level was found to be twice the legal limit.
He admitted the charge when arraigned before court and did not contest it, but said he felt as a ‘devout Muslim’, he had to point out why he had been caught drunk driving.
He said he was at a party with friends and was taking diet coke, which he poured from a pitcher. He said he noticed the drink tasted funny but hadn’t realised it had been laced with brandy.
The judge fined him £54,000 for the offence and banned him from driving for 18 months.
“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.” Toure said in a statement on his website after the judgement.
“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.”
He added: “Drink-driving is a serious crime and, even though I was not intentionally consuming alcohol, I accept the ban and fine and I would like to apologise for this situation.”