SAANEN, Switzerland (AP) – Didier Drogba rejoined his Ivory Coast teammates at their Alpine training camp yesterday with a cast protecting his broken right arm. Team spokesman Eric Kacou said yesterday it’s not known when Drogba can resume training after the squad arrives in South Africa on Thursday, or if he will play at the World Cup.
FIFA rules allow Ivory Coast to wait until next Monday, 24 hours prior to its opening match against Portugal, before deciding whether to replace the inspirational captain.
Surgeons operated on Drogba in the Swiss capital Bern last Saturday after the 32-year-old forward was injured in a collision with Japan defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka early in Ivory Coast’s 2-0 victory in a warm-up match last Friday.
Ivory Coast coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has said he’s hopeful Drogba can still play a part in the tournament.
Ivory Coast complete their Group H schedule against Brazil in Johannesburg, on June 20 and North Korea five days later in Nelspruit.
Drogba will be on the bench backing his teammates when they play Swiss second-division club Lausanne Sports at Nyon today, Kacou said.