The captain of Peru has been cleared by a Swiss supreme court judge to play at the World Cup despite a doping ban. Paolo Guerrero tested positive for a metabolite of cocaine at a World Cup qualifier against Argentina in October. He argued the stimulant had not been performance enhancing and was accidentally consumed in contaminated tea.
Switzerland’s supreme court said it has granted an interim order to freeze Guerrero’s 14-month ban for a positive test. “Paolo Guerrero can take part in the World Cup,” the court said.
Peru, who are making their first World Cup appearance since 1982, are in a group with France, Denmark and Australia.
The interim ruling puts the ban imposed by the court of arbitration for sport on hold until a full consideration of the case. Cas had imposed the ban in May, upholding an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Cas had said earlier on Thursday that it would not intervene in Guerrero’s legal campaign to play at the World Cup but that it would “not object” if a federal judge decided to freeze the ban.
The captains of the teams drawn to play Peru appealed to Fifa to lift the ban. The France captain, Hugo Lloris, Australia’s Mile Jedinak and Denmark’s Simon Kjaer said the ban was disproportionate given Cas acknowledged Guerrero did not knowingly ingest cocaine or seek an advantage.
The judge, Christina Kiss, took into account that, at 34, Guerrero should not miss his first opportunity to play at the World Cup.
“This decision does justice, at least partially, and I’m grateful to the Swiss court,” said Guerrero, who has not formally been cleared of doping and could yet serve the remainder of his ban. Guerrero had the right to a supreme court appeal because CAS is under the jurisdiction of Swiss civil law.
Xhaka ‘relieved’ after injury scare
Arsenal’s Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka said he was “very relieved” after learning a knee injury he suffered in training will not threaten his World Cup participation.
Xhaka sustained an injury to his left knee in a challenge while training in heavy rain with his international team-mates in Lugano on Thursday, the Swiss Football Federation said. But an MRI scan that evening showed he had suffered only a bruise to the bone. “I’m very relieved,” Xhaka said on the Swiss FA website.
He will miss Sunday’s friendly with Spain, but is not a doubt for the World Cup. He could be back for Swizerland’s second warm-up match against Japan, with their World Cup campaign starting against five-time champions Brazil on 17 June. PA