Peru World Cup star Paolo Guerrero will be allowed to play for his Brazilian club Flamengo when the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A resumes this week – despite the fact the striker’s suspension for cocaine use.
In late May, the Swiss Federal Tribunal put a provisional stay on a suspension given to Guerrero by the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), allowing him to play for Peru in Russia.
It had not been immediately clear if that ruling applied only to the World Cup, raising concern among Flamengo fans that the club might not be able to call upon their veteran star.
But a Switzerland top court said on Tuesday that the May decision “is in force until the court approves other measures or reaches a final decision”.
Guerrero, 34, tested positive for traces of cocaine after a World Cup qualifier between Peru and Argentina on October 5 and was initially banned for a year, which was later reduced to six months on appeal last December.
That ban ended on May 3, making Guerrero eligible to feature for Los Incas at the World Cup.
But instead of accepting the ruling, Guerrero appealed to CAS in a bid to clear his name. Sport’s top arbitration court responded by increasing the reduced six-month ban to 14 months.
The Swiss tribunal could reimpose the suspension after it receives the full argument in support of the decision reached by CAS judges, which is likely to happen by the end of the month.
