Doha, 21 May 2014: Manchester City star Yaya Toure paid a visit to Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Doha on Monday to receive treatment for a ‘minor’ injury and to prepare himself for the FIFA World Cup, prior to joining his Ivory Coast teammates at their training camp in the US. The reigning African Footballer of the Year, who celebrated his side’s Premier League title victory in an open-top bus parade in Manchester last week, has placed his World Cup hopes in the leading sports medicine hospital as he looks to make a swift recovery ahead of this summer’s competition in Brazil. Commenting on Toure’s visit, Dr. Khalifa Al Kuwari, General Director of Aspetar said,

“Aspetar aims to provide first-class medical support to world-class sports teams and athletes and this is demonstrable in our partnership agreement with the Ivory Coast football team during the FIFA World Cup".“I hope we can make Qatar proud with our contributions to this tournament this summer and continue to cement our reputation as a leader in sports medicine”. 

Also commenting, Dr. Hakim Chalabi, Aspetar’s Executive Director of National Sports Medicine Programme, said, “Having previously provided assistance to the Algerian national team during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, this year we will be providing full medical support to both the Algeria and Ivory Coast squads. “Fans in both countries will be hoping their teams can enjoy a successful campaign and I am confident that Aspetar’s acclaimed expertise will be able to support these ambitions and support athletes to deliver their full potential.”. Meanwhile, praising Aspetar as “an amazing place”, Yaya Toure claimed,

“This is the first time I have ever seen a hospital like this. Even in Europe they don’t have anything similar”. “Aspetar has everything that a high-level athlete can need and I will definitely be coming back again soon”.

The footballer’s visit to Aspetar follows comments made by Ivory Coast national football team coach Sabri Lamouchi last week, who said that his side’s World Cup chances “depend” on Toure’s fitness. In recent weeks Aspetar has also provided medical assistance to some of Toure’s other national teammates, including Didier Drogba ,Sol Bamba, Mathis Boly and Lacina Traouré following an agreement struck between the sports hospital and the Ivory Coast Football Association earlier this year. Seen as a glowing endorsement of Aspetar’s expertise and facilities, the partnership deal means the sports medicine hospital will be on hand to provide medical support to all Ivory Coast footballers in preparation for, and during, the World Cup.