Rafael Nadal filed his defamation lawsuit against former French minister Roselyne Bachelot on Monday. Nadal had been adamant about doing this ever since Bachelot accused him of doping last month.
Bachelot, a former Minister for Health and Sport, said that Nadal’s seven-month absence in 2012 was “probably due to a positive doping test.” She served in Nicolas Sarkozy’s government from 2007 to 2010 but has since left politics.
“I intend to defend my integrity and my image as an athlete but also the values I have defended all my career,” said Nadal, whose official reason for his 2012 absence was knee tendinitis. “I wish to avoid any public figure from making insulting or false allegations against an athlete using the media, without any evidence.”
Nadal statement:
Defamation lawsuit filed by Nadal against Bachelot / plainte pour diffamation déposée par Nadal contre Bachelot pic.twitter.com/gRYBtNIzAn
— Carole Bouchard (@carole_bouchard) April 25, 2016
NID
The French defamation laws aren’t so strict and it’ll be hard to prove damages/loss of reputation. And how many will he waste time on using? But whatever.
“And how many will he waste time on using?”
??? Is that olde English?
You’ve been over celebrating on St. Roger’s Day again, haven’t you Fedfan.
But whatever.
It is more about sending a message to other shitheads that such crap won’t be tolerated from now on.
Well put VR.
Suing*
Still makes no sense.
Is English your first language or third.
—said Nadal, whose official reason for his 2012 absence was knee tendinitis—
===
.
It was Hoffa’s syndrome.
Rafa’s team on September 3rd, 2012: “Rafa has partial tear of the patella tendon at the distal pole of the patella plus an inflammation of the Hoffa’s fat pad of his left knee.”
Rafa was suffering from Hoffa’s fat pad disease until he underwent stem cell treatment at the end of 2013. He was playing through the pain in 2013.
I think Ms. Bachelot said ‘certainement’ not ‘probablement’. Either way she should not get away with making such slanderous comments. It’s unfortunate that it has to be Rafa to bring this case to Court – personally I think the ITF should have stepped in and defended their Organisation (and their Player) by refuting Ms. Bachelot’s suggestion that they would condone a ‘silent ban’.
good call
I think you make a really good point! Well said!
Rafa is absolutely right in taking legal action. The comment from a Fed fan here is typical and what Rafa fans have come to expect. Unfortunately.
Rafa must defend his integrity and reputation. I don’t care about the laws in France. That’s not the point! Rafa is sending a message that he will do what is necessary if anyone presumed to defame him recklessly.
I’m not accusing Nadal of anything. I’m saying it is not legally viable, IMO. Don’t throw a fit just because I’m a Federer fan.
Wow! Two St. Roger’s Days in a row!
At least your post is legible today. Too much celebrating yesterday per chance.
The ITF did defend Rafa:
“Accusations of (former sports minister) Roselyne Bachelot against Rafael Nadal are not only surprising, but also incorrect,” an ITF spokesman in London told German news agency DPA.
The names of all players penalised for violating the tennis anti-doping program are announced publicly as required by the rules of the program and the world anti-doping code, the spokesman added.
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/03/12/itf-defends-nadal-french-doping-claim
As far as I can make out the French Tennis Federation have kept a very low profile since since Bachelot opened her big mouth. The smear campaign against Spanish atheletes, and Rafa in particular, was orchestrated by Yannick Noah. However since being reappointed French Davis Cup team captain he has kept stum on the subject but I am in no doubt he has been in collusion with Bachelot.
Rafa has spent years trying to ignore the innuendos and slur campaigns to no avail. I am relieved he is finally going to pursue the matter through the courts.
Rafa has said in the past that he wants the results of his tests made public to stop the accusations and innuendoes and aspersions on his reputation.
They don’t do that, but I can certainly understand why Rafa said it. He’s had to deal with this smear campaign for far too long.
As I said previously in response to a fed fan, I do not care about the state of libel laws in France. What is important is that Rafa take legal action and send a message that he will no longer tolerate these kinds of public accusations made without any basis in fact or substance.
Nativenewyorker (AT 1:39 PM),
The testing data are available on the ITF website.
For example, 2015:
http://www.itftennis.com/media/222641/222641.pdf
How is a defamation suit going to stop anyone exactly? If they can’t name him directly they will throw in innunedoes to that effect.There’s only so many people you can shut up and the entire process will take at least six months, with depositions, assuming the French courts are quick at disposing off cases. And this is assuming Bachelor cannot avail of the defences under the law. Then there is the issue of quantum of damages where, to the best of my knowledge, Nadal will have to prove loss of reputation.
First of all, as a fed fan why are you so concerned about the legalities involved? You keep trying to throw cold water on this lawsuit before it’s even started.
Rafa has rights under the law and is now w exercising them. I don’t know where you get your information about the laws in France, but you continue to miss the point. I want to see a legal system that allows someone to find a player guilty of substance abuse without a single shred of credible evidence.
The ITF has now publicly stated that there has been no silent ban, as alleged by this woman. They have stated that Rafa has never failed any drug test. That only makes his case stronger.
Why not let the legal process go forward and reserve judgment until it’s over.
This is probably the first time I spoke about it. And given that I follow tennis to whatever extent I can and Nadal is a big name regardless of my preference, I don’t know what problem you have with my interest in a given matter.
Oh and of course Nadal has rights. No shit, Sherlock. Did I say he doesn’t possess them? Talk about non-sequitor ranting.
Leave it to a fedfan to get nasty.
Besides, it’s Roger she should be suspicious of, but of course, she’s just another French fedfan that fawn over his every word. Like you Fedfan!
Don’t worry fedfan, Roger will be back playing tennis eventually.
In the meantime, Happy St. Roger’s Day!!!
Personally, I’ve always been suspicious of St. Roger. Veins popping in his forearm, never seems to tire at almost 35. He even admits he’s rarely tested.
Hmmmmm….
Imagine Rafa winning RG this year and Bachelot handing him the trophy 🙂 🙂
Shireling (AT 1:43 PM),
Joking aside, Adriano Panatta has been chosen to hand the RG trophy this year.
[augusta08 APRIL 7, 2016 AT 10:14 AM]
https://tenngrand.com/non-big-4/comment-page-25/#comment-101389
Steve Wilson (AP European sports editor): ¤¤ ITF confirms Nadal letter & says he `has never failed a test’ & `has not been suspended at any time for an anti-doping rule violation.’ ¤¤
https://twitter.com/stevewilsonap/status/724974027182329858
Steve Wilson: ¤¤ITF: Rafael Nadal has access to his anti-doping records from WADA database and `is free to make them available.’¤¤
https://twitter.com/stevewilsonap/status/724974540460310528
augusta08 April 26, 2016 at 1:58 PM
Thx Augusta… I must admit I never heard of him before…..
Shireling (AT 3:05 PM),
Adriano Panatta is the winner of Roland Garros 1976.
Here you can see Rafa’s interview with Panatta in May last year (in Italian):
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2uwfmx_rafael-nadal-s-interview-with-adriano-panatta-in-italian_sport
Wow, I didn’t know Rafa spoke Italian !
Shireling (AT 8:56 AM),
Recently, Rafa gave yet another interview in Italian. Italian-speaking people say he speaks fluent Italian.
https://twitter.com/SkySport/status/721432251485933568