14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal has said that Maria Sharapova should be punished for her failed drugs test.
On Monday the Russian admitted that she tested positive for the banned substance meldonium. As Nadal makes his last minute preparations for the BNP Paribas Masters, he was bombarded with questions about doping in tennis during a meeting with the media in California. It was suggested that Nadal might of been tempted to use performance-enhancing due to his series of injury troubles in recent years. The world No.5 sharply responded to the theory, stating that he has never taken illegal substances.
“I have never had the temptation of doing something wrong. I am very far from that, doping,” Nadal said.
“I am a completely clean guy. I worked so hard during my career that when I get injured I never take nothing (banned) to be back quicker.”
Throughout Nadal’s career, he has been troubled by rumors of drug usage despite never failing a drugs test. Roselyne Bachelot, the former French minister of Sports, recently said in an interview with French media that Nadal allegedly failed a drug tests and covered it up with an injury time out.
“We know that the famous injury of Rafael Nadal, where he was out for months, is was certainly due to a positive test.” Bachelot said.
This theory of Bachelot has never been confirmed. Nadal also stressed that he has been open with the relevant authorities about his treatment and denies any wrongdoing. He said that he underwent stem-cell therapy and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) to treat his numerous knee problems. In recent years there has been questions about RPR and if it could used for doping. The world anti-doping agency said in 2015 that RPR isn’t banned, however, they said that ‘individual growth factors are still prohibited when given separately as purified substances’.
Giving his own opinion about Sharapova’s failed drugs test, Nadal said that it is right that she should be punished. The Russian said on Monday that she was unaware that meldonium was added to the list of banned substances, despite The Times newspaper reporting that she was warned about it on five occasions during 2015. Nadal said that she deserves to be sanctioned for her carelessness.
“It is difficult to imagine that something like this can happen, but mistakes happen,” he said. “She should be punished.
“I want to believe it is a mistake for Maria. She didn’t want to do it. But obviously it is negligence. She must pay for it.”
