Flamengo undecided on Guerrero future

Source: Xinhua| 2018-06-02 10:19:49|Editor: Yamei
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RIO DE JANEIRO, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Flamengo are yet to decide if they will offer a contract extension to Peru captain Paolo Guerrero after the World Cup, the Brazilian club's president said on Friday.

Guerrero was this week cleared to play in Peru's first World Cup since 1982 after a Swiss court temporarily lifted a 14-month doping ban.

The 34-year-old's contract with Flamengo expires in August, five months before his suspension is due to expire.

"As soon as he is allowed to play again, it will be the wish of all Flamengo supporters that he stays at the club," Flamengo president Eduardo Bandeira told reporters. "If it depended on me, he would continue here for a long time."

Bandeira added that Flamengo were "very happy" that Guerrero has been allowed to play in the World Cup in Russia, which starts on June 14.

Guerrero tested positive for cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine following Peru's World Cup qualifier against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Oct. 5.

He claimed that he unwittingly consumed the substance in contaminated tea and that it did not enhance his sporting performance.

The former Bayern Munich striker was given a 12-month ban last December but the penalty, backdated to November, was halved less than two weeks later by FIFA's appeal committee.

However the Court of Arbitration for Sport extended the penalty by eight months on May 14 after a challenge by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

In handing down its decision on Thursday, the Swiss Federal Tribunal said it took into account the likelihood that this would be Guerrero's only chance to play in a World Cup.

It also acknowledged that Guerrero "did not act intentionally or with significant negligence." The court added that an appeal to overturn the ban would be considered at a later date.

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