Patrick McEnroe has called those suspecting Rafael Nadal of doping to mask his foot injury as ‘conspiracy theorists.’
Earlier this month, some prominent figures in the world of cycling raised questions over the legitimacy of the pain-killing injections Nadal took to get this through Roland Garros.
Road cyclist Guillaume Martin said the treatments Nadal took at the French Open would not be allowed in his sport, saying: “What Nadal did would have been impossible on the bike.
“If we are sick or injured, we don’t run, we don’t compete, it seems like common sense to me.
“They come across as heroes because they go far in pain, but in fact, they use substances to go far in pain and again, it’s very borderline.”
However, Patrick McEnroe has called for an end to such talk, saying they are little more than ‘conspiracies.’
“So Nadal goes on to win [the French Open],” McEnroe said on his Holding Court Podcast. “I don’t know how he does it. He said he took some painkilling injections.
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“I’m no Doctor, I don’t know exactly what they are. People, you know, there are conspiracy theorists now coming out in the tennis world.
“There’s one conspiracy that Nadal is doping, he’s taking some sort of drug.
“Look, they test him all the time at the majors and whatever they’re putting in his ankle, I think it’s just a painkiller.
“Again, I’m not a doctor, I don’t know exactly what it is, but if it was something that was against the rules he’d be caught.”
For context, it’s important to note that the World Anti-Doping Agency has already had their say on Rafael Nadal, and confirmed he is doing nothing illegal.
WADA Director General Olivier Niggli cleared Nadal, saying: “If a product is on the list of prohibited products, it means that it has an effect on performance, that it is bad for health, and that it is contrary to the ethics of sport.
“Anaesthetic injections are not prohibited. It’s not an oversight. The question arose. It was discussed.
“They are not on the list because they do not improve performance and are fundamentally not bad.”
Author’s comment: There is plenty of room for middle ground here.
There is probably a legitimate debate to be had about how closely tennis monitors injuries and how far is too far with regard pain management.
That said, it cannot be stressed enough that Rafael Nadal is not doing anything wrong in the treatments he is taking. If people are unhappy, then they are unhappy with the system, not with Nadal.
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