May 15 – Peru’s joy has quickly turned to disappointment after captain Paolo Guerrero was ruled out of the World Cup after his doping ban, which had just expired, was increased from six to 14 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Just hours after being named in the country’s initial squad for Russia, anti-doping authorities got their way by successfully appealing to get the ban increased.
Guerrero, Peru’s all-time top scorer, was suspended for a year by FIFA on December 8 after testing positive for cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine following Peru’s 0-0 draw away to Argentina the previous October, after apparently drinking tea containing the substance.
FIFA reduced the ban to six months, meaning it ended 10 days ago and technically allowed him to play at the World Cup in Russia but the CAS has now upheld an appeal by WADA.
CAS accepted he did not intend to enhance his performance but ruled that Guerrero bore “some fault or negligence, even if it was not significant.”
Guerrero, who has denied wrongdoing throughout, had also appealed to CAS to request the ban be annulled altogether.
Shortly before the decision, the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) had tweeted pictures of Guerrero taking part in a photoshoot with the official team strip.
Guerrero’s absence will be a huge blow for Peru who have qualified for their first World Cup in 36 years and face Denmark, France and Australia.
The FPF said in a statement that it “profoundly regrets the lengthening of the ban imposed on our player Paolo Guerrero who has always shown exemplary conduct.”
“We will without doubt miss Paolo in Russia but we are convinced that our team, with its courage and tenacity, will do Peru proud. No matter how tough the adversity, it will not stop our team.”
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