Guerrero asks Switzerland's highest court to overturn doping ban

IANS  |  Lima 

has appealed to Switzerland's highest court to overturn a doping ban that has ruled him out of the in

The CAS decision means the 34-year-old Flamengo striker will miss Peru's first since 1982, which begins on June 14.

"He is the unquestioned of the Peruvian team and a national emblem of hope for the whole country," said in a sworn statement, which the association published on

"I beg with all my heart to take into account not just Paolo's interest but that of the entire nation."

Guerrero was given a 12-month ban last December after testing positive for the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine following Peru's against in on October 5.

The penalty, backdated to November, was halved by FIFA's appeal committee less than two weeks later.

Guerrero, who is Peru's all-time leading scorer with 32 goals from 83 matches, has maintained his innocence and says the substance was unwittingly consumed in contaminated

The case was referred to the CAS after a challenge by the

Earlier this week the captains of Peru's World Cup Group C rivals - Australia, France, and - urged to reconsider the ban. In a letter sent by players union FIFPro, Mile Jedinak, and said the punishment did not fit the crime and called for the ban to be temporarily lifted.

Guerrero on Tuesday met Gianni Infantino, who expressed a "deep understanding" of the forward's plight but indicated he could not change the decision.

--IANS

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First Published: Sat, May 26 2018. 16:04 IST