( CNN ) -- Fabio Cannavaro is to join the Italian national squad on Sunday for their World Cup qualifier against Cyprus next week , despite being under the cloud of a drug test controversy . Fabioo Cannavaro 's proudest moment came in 2006 when he led Italy to World Cup glory . It was revealed on Thursday that the 36-year-old Juventus defender recently failed a drug test after taking a medicine that contained the banned substance cortisone . Cannavaro was interviewed by the Italian Olympic Committee 's ( CONI ) anti-doping prosecutor Ettore Torri on Thursday night in Turin but national coach Marcello Lippi does not expect his star to be absent from the squad . `` I have not spoken to Cannavaro , '' Lippi told reporters . `` Will he be here with us on Sunday ? Of course he will . `` I have not spoken to Cannavaro , '' added national team doctor Enrico Castellacci . `` But he is calm and serene . This is just a bureaucratic case . '' Juventus claimed the defender needed cortisone treatment for an insect sting in August . The player requested an exemption from taking drugs tests on the grounds of having taken a medication in an emergency situation but his request did not include a document necessary to complete the application . While awaiting a decision , Cannavaro took an anti-doping test after a Serie A game at Roma which returned a positive result . `` When he came to the national team , after the Roma game , he told us what had happened and he told us that without the medicine that contained cortisone he would have had a reaction , an anaphylactic shock , '' Castellacci said . `` We asked Juventus for all the necessary documents regarding the medicine taken by Cannavaro and all the communication is in our possession . '' Cannavaro will not travel to Dublin for Saturday 's World Cup qualifier against Ireland as he serves a one-match ban , but is expected to lead the Azzurri in Wednesday 's qualifier against Cyprus in Parma .
Fabio Cannavaro is to join the Italian national squad on tour to face Germany . Cannavaro tested positive for cortisone after having treatment for an insect bite . The 36-year - old Italian defender has an allergy to insect bites which can be fatal . He was interviewed by Italian Olympic Committee anti - doping prosecutor .