Argentine acknowledges positive drug test

Argentine doubles specialist Mariano Hood acknowledges testing positive for a banned drug at the French Open.

Hood has been told the tests showed the substance used was finasteride. According to media reports,

Hood had been taking the substance for nine years in pill form to prevent hair loss.

Finasteride was added to the ATP's list of banned drugs last November as a masking agent.

"I've contacted my lawyers, I don't have much more information," said Hood, playing last week in the Metz Open in France.

Hood's positive result was reported by the French sports daily L'Equipe on Wednesday, the same day it said his compatriot, Mariano Puerta, tested positive for the stimulant etilefrine after reaching the French Open men's singles final in June. Puerta has denied the report.

The 32-year-old Hood is Argentina's highest-ranked men's doubles players at No. 26, and has won 13 titles.

Media reports said it was Hood's second doping test this year, and that he gave a negative result at the Australian Open in January.

Six Argentines have tested positive since 2001.

Guillermo Coria was suspended for seven months in 2002. Guillermo Canas was handed a two-year ban in August. Puerta was banned for nine months in 2003 and faces a life suspension for a repeat violation.