Banned Peru captain Guerrero to be trained in Argentina ahead of WC

LIMA, Feb 3 (Xinhua): Peru captain Paolo Guerrero will train alone in Argentina in a bid to maintain fitness as he sees out a doping ban ahead of this year's World Cup.

Guerrero said his Brazilian club Flamengo had prepared a training program for the 34-year-old at a private sports complex in the northern outskirts of Buenos Aires.

"I have been given a fitness plan which I'll carry out in Argentina without any distraction," Guerrero said. "My aim is to train well."

Guerrero was given a 12-month ban in December after testing positive for cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine following Peru's World Cup qualifier against Argentina in Buenos Aires on October 5.

The penalty, backdated to November, was halved by FIFA's appeal committee less than two weeks later.

He is due to return on May 3, just six weeks before Peru's first World Cup appearance since 1982.