This weekend, we had the slightly bizarre situation in which Real Madrid released a statement offering their backing to Rafael Nadal amid doping allegations from a former French minister. Speaking in relation to the revelations about Maria Sharapova's PED usage, Roselyne Bachelot, minister for health and sport between 2007 and 2010, stated that Nadal's injury troubles have been used to mask a positive test.
We know that Rafael Nadal's famous injury, that stopped him for seven months, is certainly due to a positive drug test. When you see that a player stays away for months, it is because he is positive. Not every time, but very often.
Nadal has never failed a drug test and he has stated, in no uncertain terms, that he will not take Bachelot's comments lying down. The former world number 1 has faced such allegations before, but, in light of the increased spotlight being shone on PED usage in tennis, Nadal has stated that enough is enough.
I’m going to sue her, and I’m going to sue everyone who [is] going to comment [on] something similar in the future, because I am tired of that. There is a couple of times I heard comments like this. This is going to be the last one, because I’m going to sue her.
I am tired about these things. I let it go a few times in the past. Not more. A minister of France should be serious. This time is the time to go against her.
Speaking to the media at the BNP Paribas Open last week, Nadal addressed the allegations in full and it's certainly interesting to see his anger in relation to such questions.
