Toure Gate.

In the wake of the decision over Kolo Toure's Manchester City future, another multi-millionaire star faces a potentially career threating ban.  Barely a season goes by without an outrageous drug test scandal, Adrian Mutu, Mark Bosnich, and the, "I forgot to go" Rio Ferdinand to name a few prime cases.  

Now I'm all for innocent until proven guilty,  now I'm all for innocent until proven guilty, but if the ivory coast star is proven to have taken illicit substances then, the question has to be asked,

 "why on earth would you  risk your reputation, and your career?"

Its not just football that has this problem, in 2004, Dwayne Chambers famously failed a drugs test, in the wake of the Olympic games letting an entire nations hopes diminish.  As a massive football fan growing up the thought of becoming a professional footballer, or athlete was something dreams are made of, and the notion of becoming a professorial sportsman, I would like to think would have overpowered me to do whatever it takes to succeed.  And maybe this it is this overpowering feeling of competitiveness that drives these athletes to push the boundaries that little bit further, to "bend" the rules in their favour, and cheat their way to success.  

I mean in all honesty, is taking drugs to enhance performance that much worse than, taking a dive in the penalty area, destroying a nations hopes of world  cup action for the first time in decades with a horrendously obvious handball, in a world cup qualifier?  Does it warrant a two year ban? does testing positive for an illegal substance, make you worse than a player who aggressively confronts and head butts a premier league assistant manager? Or attacks an oncoming opponent by elbowing him in the side of his head, and getting away scott free?

There are many cheats involved in sport, and as every week passes there isn't an incident that doesn't make headlines on the back pages of the tabloids.  But why do violent and aggressive players, not get tarred with the same brush as the illegal substance users?

there are some wonderfully talented individuals in the game of football, and some that love playing the game that has become their life, and some that wouldn't no matter what risk it for anything.  could you ever imagine a Ryan Giggs headline, with an accusation like that of Joey Bartons not so innocent actions.  Or Paul Scholes, throwing away his career, by failing a drugs test.  now I'm not a United fan but players like this are truly idols, they play the game they love and would never, ever do anything that would tarnish such a luxury in life.

I hope for the sake of his career that Kolo is innocent and that there is a medicinal explanation for the failed dope test,  but if this isn't the case then he, in my book will be added to the list of cheats in the game of football, who continually drag the games reputation lower and lower.

List your best 11 angels Vs Devils.

11 players with untarnished records Vs 11 players at the heart of a tabloid scandal.