Swiss court rules Guerrero's doping ban active again

Peru and Internacional striker Paolo Guerrero has had the provisional suspension of his 14-month ban for failing a drug test revoked by the Swiss Federal Tribunal (BGER).

The BGER confirmed the ruling on Friday and Guerrero must now serve the remaining eight months of his sanction, ruling him out of competitive action until April 2019.

The 34-year-old was banned from playing for one year by FIFA having tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, after Peru's World Cup qualifier against Argentina in October 2017.

The suspension was cut in half last December following the Peru captain's appeal to world football's governing body, but the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) successfully argued to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that the revised ban was insufficient and a 14-month period of ineligibility was imposed in May.

The ban was suspended by the BGER, Switzerland's highest court, enabling Guerrero to return to action in time for the World Cup. However, the latest ruling means he is now prohibited from playing again until next year.

On August 8, Guerrero signed a three-year contract at Inter after his deal with Flamengo expired, and the Porto Alegre club released a statement on Thursday when reports of the BGER's ruling emerged.

"The agreement made with the player brings contractual protection to both parties. The club will give all the necessary legal support to the player,” the statement said.