Peru captain Paolo Guerrero to miss World Cup after testing positive for cocaine

Peru captain Paolo Guerrero will miss next summer's World Cup after testing positive for the use of cocaine following a qualifying match earlier this year.

The striker has been handed a one-year ban by world football's governing body FIFA after the drug was found in his system following Peru's 0-0 draw with Argentina in October.

That result, and a subsequent draw with Colombia five days later, earned Peru a play-off against New Zealand for a place in the finals in Russia.

Los Incas won that play-off 2-0 on aggregate, however Guerrero was absent for both legs of the tie after he was provisionally suspended pending an investigation.

33-year-old Guerrero, who plays his club football in Brazil, will be prohibited from all football activities for a period of 12 months, backdated to November 3^rd.

“The player tested positive for cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine, a substance included in WADA’s 2017 Prohibited List under the class ‘S6. Stimulants’, following a doping control test conducted after the match,” Fifa said in a statement.

“By testing positive for a prohibited substance, the player has violated article 6 of the Fifa Anti-Doping Regulations and, as such, contravened article 63 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code.”

Guerrero has made 82 appearances for his country since making his debut in 2004 aged 19, and has scored a record 32 goals.

He was part of the Peru squad that finished third in both the 2011 and 2015 Copa America championships, finishing as the top scorer in both tournaments