A HAIR loss medicine was responsible for former Brazil striker Romario failing a doping test after a club match, according to the player.
The Vasco da Gama striker, who has played sporadically since scoring what he claimed to be the 1,000th goal of his career in May, said he had tested positive for finasteride after the game against Palmeiras on 28 October. "I'm losing some hair and I
have been taking this product for a while," explained the 41-year-old at a news conference called by the player himself.
Brazil's disciplinary tribunal has not said when it would rule on the case. The 1994 World Cup winner said he planned to keep playing until early next year and did not expect a stiff punishment.
"I don't think it's going to disrupt my career," he said. "It's not really doping. As far as I'm concerned, it's something which has never influenced my performance. It isn't the first time I've used it. If I had known it wasn't allowed, I would never have used it."
The illegal substance found in his blood stream was finasteride, a common substance found in medicine used to prevent balding. The drug was added to the World Anti-Doping Code in 2004 because it can mask the use of anabolic steroids.
The Vasco club have demanded a second opinion. "The substance appeared in my urine," added Romario. "They want to take a second sample, but I told them I don't want to. I have taken this medication for a long time.
"I wanted to be the first to speak on the subject. I have played football for a number of years and I plan on playing next year in the Carioca Championship and this will not keep me from playing."
In an upbeat mood, he added: "I'm going to go a little balder. The few hairs I still have are going to fall out. Some bald guys who had been taking it told me it was good. And it really worked, as you can see."
Romario looks likely to play in Vasco's pre-season friendly tournament in Dubai despite his temporary suspension. Vasco are set to play a tournament in the United Arab Emirates, and lawyer Marcos Motta, who specialises in doping cases, said Romario will be allowed to play, despite the Supreme Court of Sporting Justice temporarily banning him for 29 days.
"He can play," Motta said. "As was illustrated in the discussion about his 1,000th professional goal, friendly matches are not part of the FIFA calendar."
Romario scored what he claimed to be his 1,000th goal in May by converting a penalty in the 3-1 win over Sport Recife. Even though the FIFA player of the year in 1994 admits the total includes more than 200 goals scored in youth team, reserve, friendly and testimonial games, he was given a special award on Monday for the achievement at a ceremony to mark the end of the Brazilian championship.
Romario had suggested in July that he was considering putting an end to his 22-year professional career. "Physically, I could keep playing," he said. "But it's really time to stop. Time goes by for everyone, and it's not different for me."
He was expected to retire after his 1,000th goal, but hasn't picked the exact date he'll stop. The charismatic forward has already talked about a possible career in politics and as a TV talk show host once his footballing days are over. Romario has kept his career going over the last few years, defying those who said he should retire. Three years ago, he was sacked by Fluminense after being jeered off the field during the match at the Maracana.
But Vasco, the club where he began his career, took him back and in 2005, in a remarkable turnaround, he scored 22 goals in the Brazilian championship to finish as the competition's top scorer at the age of 39.
In between, he played in the Beach Soccer World Cup and last year went on a four-month excursion to the United States to play for Miami, where he added 27 goals to his tally. He also played four matches for Adelaide United in Australia.
In a busy week for the player, it was also announced on Tuesday that a DVD showing many of the goals he scored throughout his career is scheduled to be released at the beginning of next year.
BUT IT WAS MY TOOTHPASTE...
ROMARIO'S excuse for failing a drugs test is the latest in a long list of novel explanations. From toothpaste to beer and sex, here is our top five:
• 1. DENNIS MITCHELL
The sprinter was nailed for excessively high levels of testosterone in 1998, but said the failed test was caused by a night of, err, passion with his wife, along with the consumption of five beers. Good enough for us, declared the US Track and Field Association, which cleared Mitchell only to have that ruling overturned by track and field's international body.
• 2. DIETER BAUMANN
The German track star tested positive for the steroid nandrolone in 1999, but argued (successfully) that he was the victim of a conspiracy to oust him from the sport by spiking his toothpaste with huge amounts of steroids.
• 3. PETR KORDA
Just months after winning the Australian Open in 1998, Korda tested positive for the banned substance nandrolone, and promptly blamed the cows. The Czech tennis player said his failed test was because he had eaten too much nandrolone-fattened veal. His excuse was dismissed by officials as a load of bull. They pointed out that Korda would have had to eat 40 calves a day for 20 years to achieve such high levels of nandrolone.
• 4. BEN JOHNSON
In one of the most high-profile doping cases of all time, the sprinter claimed his positive test for the powerful muscle-building drug stanozolol was because the sasparilla-and-ginseng energy drink he took before his race was spiked.
• 5. ALAIN BAXTER
After becoming the first Briton to win a medal in alpine skiing in 2002, Baxter failed a drugs test after his sample contained a trace of methamphetamine. However, Baxter was able to confirm later that the trace had originated from a Vicks inhaler bought in the US.
The full article contains 1057 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
