Peru's Guerrero cleared to feature in World Cup

34-year-old Peruvian striker Paolo Guerrero has been cleared to feature in the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Russia after his ban for doping was lifted by the Swiss Federal Court on Thursday.

The Flamengo striker had tested positive for cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine after a World Cup Qualifier match against Argentina in October 2017, following which he received a six-month ban from the apex football governing body.

That six-month ban was later protracted into a 14-month one following a successful appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), thus ending Guerrero's hopes of leading Peru into its fourth ever World Cup Finals campaign and the first since 1982.

Guerrero had also received the support of Hugo Lloris, Simon Kjaer, and Mile Jedinak, the captains of Peru's Group C rivals France, Denmark, and Australia respectively, with the three penning a letter to FIFA, urging it to allow the striker to feature in Russia.

According to Goal, the Peruvian FA had revealed that they would further appeal to the Swiss Federal Court, which will resultantly delay the suspension until after the World Cup.

"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has been informed of the appeal and the urgent request for the sanction presented by the Peruvian soccer player Paolo Guerrero before the Swiss Federal Court (TFS)," read a statement from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

"The appeal is directed against the decision of the CAS, which partially accepted the appeal filed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the decision issues by the FIFA Appeals Committee on December 20, 2017, under which the suspension of Mr Guerrero was extended from six to 14 months. Mr Guerrero submitted an urgent request for the suspension of the execution of that sanction in order to participate in the next FIFA World Cup in Russia," it added.