NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Tennis

Rafael Nadal to sue over doping claims

Herald online
14 Mar, 2016 05:33 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Rafael Nadal has been copping it big time. Photo / AP

Rafael Nadal has been copping it big time. Photo / AP

Maria Sharapova was the one done for doping, but Rafael Nadal's been copping the heat - now he wants justice.

In the wake of the Russian's admission that she tested positive for meldonium - a drug placed on WADA's banned list at the start of 2016 - the Spaniard has been forced to defend himself against accusations that he too has doped in his career.

One of the more direct digs at the 29-year-old came from former French sports minister Roselyne Bachelot, who accused Nadal of faking a knee injury in 2012 - when he missed the final six months of the season - to cover up a positive drug test.

"We know about that famous injury of Rafael Nadal ... is certainly due to a positive test," Bachelot said, adding that lengthy player injuries were "not every time, of course, but very often" drug cover-ups.

If Nadal has his way, Bachelot won't get away with such slanderous accusations.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"There are a couple of times I've heard comments like this, and this is going to be the last one because I'm going to sue her," Nadal said at Indian Wells.

"I am tired of these things. I let it go a few times in the past. Not anymore.

"I'm going to sue her, and I'm going to sue everyone who's going to comment something similar in the future, because I am tired of that.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Now is the moment for justice ... I want justice."

Nadal was asked several days ago at the tournament in California if any of the accusations against him were true. He went off.

"No f***ing way, forget about it."

Nadal has never failed a drug test in his many years on the ATP Tour, and his staunch defence of that record continued on the weekend.

Discover more

Tennis

'Everything has changed' in drug case

12 Mar 05:22 PM
Tennis

WTA star: All the players are saying Sharapova is a cheat

13 Mar 06:50 AM
Tennis

Murray gets first win since becoming a father

13 Mar 08:05 AM
Tennis

Sharapova seen as 'cheater' on tour

13 Mar 05:31 PM

"I never did (dope) and I will never do and I don't want to talk about that again," he told Agence France-Presse on Sunday after his doubles loss to the Americans Bob and Mike Bryan.

He said his career has reached the heights it has - he's won 14 grand slam singles titles - due to nothing but hard work and a love of tennis.

"I have been working so much since I was five years old, all my career, to have the success that I've had, and always the right way," Nadal said.

"Always practising with passion, with intensity, with a love for the game."

Nadal was adamant Sharapova should be punished for testing positive, saying her news was a black eye on the sport.

"It is terrible news for our sport," Nadal said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It is terrible because our sport must be clean and look clean.

"The good news is we have a good anti-doping program."

The "terrible news" then encroached upon him, but he was pleased to see all the support he has received from sports organisations, sports personalities, fans and family who have rushed to his defence after Bachelot's comments.

"Just thanks for the support from the people," Nadal said. "It is great to see the huge support from the world of sport."

Real Madrid coach and former French football captain Zinedine Zidane launched a staunch personal defence of Nadal, saying "he is a gentleman and a person that has shown values".

Real Madrid also released a statement and Nadal's uncle Toni Nadal called Bachelot "an imbecile".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Nadal hopes that with the support he has received he can now put the matter to bed once and for all.

"Believe me our sport is clean," he told AFP. "If everybody is doing something wrong then the people go to the justice and go on trial and then the judge decides.

"Our sport is not a sport that covers up for people doing negative things."

- news.com.au and wires

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Tennis

Premium
Crime

'Urgent international co-operation': Crime rings threaten integrity of NZ sport

20 Apr 05:00 PM
Tennis

Tennis star sorry after calling for 'smelly' opponent 'to wear deodorant'

16 Apr 01:17 AM
Tennis

How historic Billie Jean King Cup success will boost Lulu Sun on WTA Tour

15 Apr 09:30 PM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Tennis

Premium
'Urgent international co-operation': Crime rings threaten integrity of NZ sport

'Urgent international co-operation': Crime rings threaten integrity of NZ sport

20 Apr 05:00 PM

The Sport Integrity Commission has sought advice from Interpol on organised crime.

Tennis star sorry after calling for 'smelly' opponent 'to wear deodorant'

Tennis star sorry after calling for 'smelly' opponent 'to wear deodorant'

16 Apr 01:17 AM
How historic Billie Jean King Cup success will boost Lulu Sun on WTA Tour

How historic Billie Jean King Cup success will boost Lulu Sun on WTA Tour

15 Apr 09:30 PM
‘Tennis is broken’: Djokovic-led union sues sport’s governing bodies

‘Tennis is broken’: Djokovic-led union sues sport’s governing bodies

18 Mar 10:36 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP