Striker Pizarro suspended by Peru

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LIMA, Peru -- Peru have suspended striker Claudio Pizarro indefinitely saying he had broken federation rules by failing to play in a friendly against Chile this month.

Pizarro returned to Germany to train for Bayern Munich, missing a second friendly with Chile in southern Peru on October 11 which Chile won 1-0.

Peru lost their away match with Chile 3-2 on October 7.

The player had said he had the full agreement of Peruvian football federation directors. The federation denies that he was given permission.

"The player is suspended from the national football team," the federation said in a statement. "He returned (to Germany) without the permission of the coaches."

Pizarro, who angered Peruvians by not playing the second friendly, courted controversy on Tuesday by saying he would not play for his country as long as coach Franco Navarro was in charge.

Navarro took over as coach earlier this year and has failed to win any of his five games in charge.

Peru, who last played at the World Cup finals in 1982, have drawn with Trinidad & Tobago and Ecuador and lost at home to Panama as well as suffering the two defeats by Chile.

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