Rafael Nadal Wants All His Drug Tests Made Public

After months of accusations of doping, Spanish tennis superstar Rafael Nadal has written a letter to David Haggerty, the President of the International Tennis Federation, demanding that all of his drug-test results and blood profile records be released to the public.

Rafael Nadal Wants All His Drug Tests Made Public

”It can’t be free anymore in our tennis world to speak and to accuse without evidence,” the 14-time Grand Slam champion stated in a letter obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Nadal, 29, sent the letter to Haggerty on Monday, the same day he filed a defamation lawsuit against a former French government minister who accused him of doping.

”I know how many times I am tested, on and off competition,” Nadal wrote in the letter. ”Please make all my information public. Please make public my biological passport, my complete history of anti-doping controls and tests.

”From now on I ask you to communicate when I am tested and the results as soon as they are ready from your labs. I also encourage you to start filing lawsuits if there is any misinformation spread by anyone.”

The ITF then issued its own statement regarding Nadal’s request to have his test results released under the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP).

”The ITF can confirm that Mr. Nadal has never failed a test under the TADP and has not been suspended at any time for an anti-doping rule violation or for any other reason related to the TADP.”

The ITF also added that Nadal, like many other players, has access to his anti-doping records through the World Anti-Doping Agency’s database ”and is free to make them available.” The federation also said that the released results would of course be verified for accuracy.

Nadal said he was prompted to write the letter following the recent remarks made by Roselyne Bachelot, France’s former minister for health and sport. Just last month, Bachelot stated on a French television show that she believed Nadal’s seven-month injury layoff in 2012 was ”probably due to a positive doping test.”

Nadal won his 49th clay-court tournament, the Barcelona Open BancSabadell (Men’s Singles) in Barcelona on Sunday, and will pursue his 10th French Open title next month.

”It is unacceptable and mostly unfair that someone that should have knowledge of sports to a certain point and degree can publicly say something like this with no proof or evidence,” Nadal said in the letter to Haggerty.

Nadal also added that many fans, sponsors, and even the media distrust tennis’ anti-doping program.

Nadal stated he has never shied away from sharing his thoughts on the issue of anti-doping.

”I believe we have to continue with the fight against doping and make the fight stronger and better if possible,” he wrote. ”As a player, first an amateur and then a professional, I have been sure that our sport is clean. It is necessary that our sport becomes a flagship in a world where transparency and honesty are two pillars of our conduct and way of living.”

Nadal’s case comes alongside many other similar scandals in tennis, including Russian superstar Maria Sharapova’s high-profile doping case. Sharapova has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for the newly banned substance meldonium at the Australian Open in January. She is awaiting an ITF disciplinary hearing.

Article by Pablo Mena