RIO DE JANEIRO, May 21 -- The captains of Peru's World Cup Group C rivals have signed a letter to FIFA asking that banned striker Paolo Guerrero be allowed to play in football's flagship tournament in Russia this summer.

France's Hugo Lloris, Australia's Mile Jedinak and Denmark's Simon Kjaer signed the letter sent by world football players union FIFPro to the sport's governing body on Monday.

"Peru is returning to football's ultimate stage after a 36-year absence and we believe Paolo Guerrero should be allowed to lead his nation and celebrate what will be a career highlight," the letter read.

Guerrero, who is Peru's captain, tested positive for cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine while representing his country in a World Cup qualifier against Argentina last October. The 34-year-old says he unwittingly consumed the substance in contaminated tea.

Despite accepting that Guerrero did not take the drug to gain a sporting advantage, the Court of Arbitration for sport last week extended the 34-year-old's ban from six to 14 months after an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The new ruling bars the former Bayern Munich player from all football-related activities until next January.

"In our view, it would be plainly wrong to exclude him from what should be a pinnacle of his career - an achievement he has worked so hard for, and for so many years - on the basis of a finding which confirms that he did not intend to cheat and did not intend to enhance his performance with prohibited substances," the letter continued.

【体坛英语资讯：World Cup captains urge FIFA to reconsider Guerrero ban】相关文章：

★ 体坛资讯：Bombs mar celebrations of Iraq soccer win

★ 体坛英语资讯：China beat Bullets in the last of Basketball Series

★ 体坛英语资讯：Special athletes assured of a happy environment

★ 体坛英语资讯：Drastic changes made in soccer team

★ 体坛英语资讯：Kuznetsova ends Sharapovas run

★ 体坛英语资讯：Totti denies considering Italy return

★ 体坛英语资讯：Route of Beijing Olympic torch relay in Dar es Salaam confirmed

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Dutch broadcasters unwilling to air controversial Koran film

★ 体坛英语资讯：China chalks up breathtaking victory at world table tennis

★ 体坛英语资讯：Domanski still mum on coaching in China