Lima/Sao Paulo: Peru’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1982 dimmed on Friday after football’s governing body Fifa suspended the team’s captain Paolo Guerrero for failing a doping test.
Unless reversed, the 30-day provisional suspension will deprive Peru of its main striker for two play-off matches against New Zealand this month to determine which team will play in the World Cup in Russia next year.
The substance found in the exam was a stimulant and Guerrero must now demonstrate where it came from, FIFA anti-doping official Fernando Solera told ESPN Brazil. “For the Fifa disciplinary committee and for us working in the area of doping control, there is no doubt at all that a banned substance was present,” Solera said in the broadcast interview.
Guerrero, 33, could not be reached for comment. His mother, Petronila Gonzales, urged Peruvian fans to have faith in him and suggested cold medication might have been detected in the exam.
“Paolo had a terrible cold” when he was tested after an October 5 match against Argentina, Gonzales told journalists. “This will be over in 30 days and you’ll see. He’s an exemplary man.” With Guerrero as captain and Argentine Ricardo Gareca as coach, Peru has come closer to qualifying for the World Cup this year than it has in decades — helping to boost the approval rating of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.
Guerrero, a striker for the Flamengo sports club, has scored 32 goals in 83 internationals. His free kick goal against Colombia in the final qualifier in October helped Peru get the point that guaranteed them a playoff spot.
The Peruvian Football Federation, which announced Fifa’s decision to suspend Guerrero on Twitter, said it hoped the results of the test would be cleared up soon.
Peru will play New Zealand in Wellington on November 11 with the return leg four days later in Lima.
The suspension also means Guerrero will miss the semi-final of the Copa Sudamericana, South America’s equivalent of the Europa League. Flamengo will play Colombian side Junior November 23 in Rio de Janeiro before heading to Baranquilla for the return leg a week later.
In Bogota, injured Monaco striker Radamel Falcao is the key name missing in Colombia’s squad released Friday for upcoming friendlies against South Korea and China.
The Monaco captain, who heads the French Ligue 1 scoring charts this season with 13 goals in nine outings, is sidelined with a thigh injury.
Arsenal keeper David Ospina is also missing.
Colombia will be led in Falcao’s absence by James Rodriguez, the country’s leading scorer with six goals in qualifying for Russia 2018.
Alongside the 26-year-old Bayern Munich star are Serie A midfield duo Juan Cuadrado and Carlos Sanchez.
There is also as call up for centre-back Davinson Sanchez after his club Tottenham’s eye-catching 3-1 Champions League win over title-holders Real Madrid at Wembley this week.
