Peru captain Guerrero banned again awaiting final verdict
ZURICH (AP) — Peru captain Paolo Guerrero, who was cleared to play at the World Cup by Switzerland's supreme court, has again been blocked from playing because a federal judge ended the freeze on his 14-month doping ban.
The Swiss Federal Tribunal has lifted "the provisional suspensive effect" that allowed Guerrero to play in Russia, FIFA said Thursday.
The decision means the 34-year-old Guerrero will not be allowed to resume playing with his new club in Brazil, Internacional, pending a further decision in the Swiss court.
"FIFA took note of the decision of the Swiss Federal Tribunal to lift the provisional suspensive effect that had been granted with respect to the sanction imposed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport," soccer's world body said.
The Swiss federal court is expected to give a final verdict soon in Guerrero's appeal against a CAS ruling that increased his six-month ban by FIFA to 14 months.
The court did not immediately respond to requests for details of the procedure.
Guerrero tested positive for a metabolite of cocaine at a World Cup qualifying game against Argentina in October.
His lawyers argued the small amount of cocaine detected was not performance enhancing and was accidentally consumed in contaminated tea.
FIFA first banned Guerrero for one year, then reduced the sanction to six months on appeal last December.
The case went to a CAS hearing in May after the player appealed to overturn the ban, and the World Anti-Doping Agency counter-appealed for a longer sanction.
Two weeks after the urgent CAS ruling, a Swiss federal judge decided Guerrero should not be denied a possible "crowning glory of his career" in Peru's first World Cup appearance for 36 years.
He scored one goal at the World Cup, in a 2-0 win over Australia. Peru had already been eliminated by 1-0 losses against Denmark and eventual champion France.
