Paolo Guerrero Cleared to Play World Cup
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has temporarily lifted Peru captain Paolo Guerrero's 14-month ban, allowing him to play in the Russia World Cup.
Paolo Guerrero will play at the World Cup this summer.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favor of an urgent request submitted by the Peru captain to have his 14-month doping ban lifted ahead of the Russian tournament.
Guerrero received a backdated one-year suspension after testing positive for cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine following his country's World Cup qualifier against Argentina last October.
Following FIFA's decision to reduce the ban to six months on appeal, it was subsequently extended to 14 months following an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
However, Thursday's interim ruling means the 34-year-old striker has been cleared to represent Peru at this summer's World Cup.
"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has been notified of the appeal and urgent request for a stay filed by the Peruvian football player Paolo Guerrero at the Swiss Federal Tribunal (SFT). The appeal is directed against the CAS decision partially-upholding the appeal filed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the decision issued by the FIFA Appeal Committee on 20 December 2017 and increasing Mr Guerrero’s suspension from 6 to 14 months.
"Paolo Guerrero has also filed an urgent request for a stay of the execution of the suspension in order to be able to participate in the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in Russia.
"The CAS will not object to the request for a stay. So far, the CAS Panel has only issued its decision, without grounds. The reasoned award with the grounds for the CAS decision will be notified to the parties at a later stage."