Peruvian soccer player Paolo Guerrero arrives in Lima, Peru May 15, 2018. REUTERS/Guadalupe Pardo
Peru striker and captain Paolo Guerrero arrives in Lima, Peru. Guadalupe Pardo / Reuters

President of Peru backs captain Paolo Guerrero over World Cup doping ban



The president of Peru Martin Vizcarra has said he supports team captain Paolo Guerrero's battle to play at the 2018 World Cup and will help his bid to overturn a doping ban.

Guerrero was slapped with a 14-month ban on Monday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland over doping and will miss the June 14-July 15 World Cup in Russia.

Peru's head of state announced Wednesday that Guerrero would file an appeal with the Federal Court in Switzerland to fight the ban.

Vizcarra told a press conference the player and his lawyers "will appeal to the Swiss federal court, indicating that the [CAS] ruling did not respect guarantees of due process and demanding its annulment".

He said the Peruvian embassy in Switzerland "will support the initiatives of the defence of Guerrero before the Swiss federal court to overturn the suspension".

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Read more:

In pictures: All 12 Russia 2018 World Cup stadiums

Lowdown: Where to watch 2018 Fifa World Cup matches in the UAE and kick-off times

Richard Jolly: Gareth Southgate proves to be England’s courteous radical with 2018 World Cup squad selection

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Guerrero, who plays as a striker for Brazilian giants Flamengo, had been included in Peru's preliminary 25-man World Cup squad announced on Sunday.

But on Monday CAS, hearing an appeal from the player against a six-month ban for testing positive for traces of cocaine, increased the suspension to 14 months, ruling him out of the World Cup and sidelining him until January 2019.

Guerrero was initially banned for one year after traces of the drug, which is on the banned list of the World Anti-Doping Agency, were found in a sample following a World Cup qualifier against Argentina on October 5 last year.

World football's ruling body Fifa reduced the ban to six months on appeal last December. That ban ended on May 3, making Guerrero eligible to play at the June 14-July 15 World Cup in Russia.

The emblematic Peru captain, however, wanted the ban annulled and appealed against the six-month suspension.

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Votes

Total votes: 1.8 million

Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes

Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes 

The six points:

1. Ministers should be in the field, instead of always at conferences

2. Foreign diplomacy must be left to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation

3. Emiratisation is a top priority that will have a renewed push behind it

4. The UAE's economy must continue to thrive and grow

5. Complaints from the public must be addressed, not avoided

6. Have hope for the future, what is yet to come is bigger and better than before

FIXTURES

All kick-off times UAE (+4 GMT)

Friday
Sevilla v Levante (midnight)

Saturday
Athletic Bilbao v Real Sociedad (7.15pm)
Eibar v Valencia (9.30pm)
Atletico Madrid v Alaves (11.45pm)

Sunday
Girona v Getafe (3pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7.15pm)
Las Palmas v Espanyol (9.30pm)
Barcelona v Deportivo la Coruna (11.45pm)

Monday
Malaga v Real Betis (midnight)

ROUTE TO TITLE

Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2

MATCH INFO

Euro 2020 qualifier

Russia v Scotland, Thursday, 10.45pm (UAE)

TV: Match on BeIN Sports 

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Story of 2017-18 so far and schedule to come

Roll of Honour

Who has won what so far in the West Asia rugby season?

 

Western Clubs Champions League

Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Runners up: Bahrain

 

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners: Dubai Exiles

Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons

 

West Asia Premiership

Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons

Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins

 

UAE Premiership Cup

Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Runners up: Dubai Exiles

 

Fixtures

Friday

West Asia Cup final

5pm, Bahrain (6pm UAE time), Bahrain v Dubai Exiles

 

West Asia Trophy final

3pm, The Sevens, Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Sports City Eagles

 

Friday, April 13

UAE Premiership final

5pm, Al Ain, Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins


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