LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Peru forward Paolo Guerrero has lost his final appeal against a 14-month ban by FIFA for a positive doping test.
Switzerland’s supreme court said its judges rejected Guerrero’s appeal against FIFA and the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The Swiss Federal Tribunal ruling announced on Thursday delays the 35-year-old player’s return to action with Brazilian club Internacional until early April.
Guerrero tested positive for a metabolite of cocaine at a World Cup qualifying game against Argentina in October 2017. He argued he drank contaminated tea.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport extended FIFA’s six-month ban to 14 months.
However, a Swiss judge froze the ban last year to let Guerrero play at the World Cup.
Federal judges ordered Guerrero to pay court costs of 7,000 Swiss francs ($6,970), and 8,000 Swiss francs ($7,960) to WADA.