RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb 15: Former Brazil striker Romario overturned a 120-day ban on Thursday when an appeal tribunal accepted his case that he failed a dope test because of a hair loss treatment.

The 1994 World Cup winner, given the ban on Dec 18, tested positive for the banned masking agent finasteride after playing for Vasco da Gama against Palmeiras in October.

The ban came just weeks from his scheduled retirement as a player and on the eve of his appointment as Vasco coach.

Romario carried out his coaching duties from behind the scenes but resigned after just five games of the Rio state championship, alleging that Vasco president Eurico Miranda was interfering in team selection.

Romario told a sports disciplinary appeal tribunal that he used the treatments containing finasteride for more than a decade, but had never failed a dope test.—Reuters