Manacor, Spain - Rafael Nadal is suing a former French politician on a slander claim and says any damages he wins will go to charity.
The Spanish world number five filed a suit on Monday against former health and sports minister Roselyne Bachelot, claiming he was slandered in comments she made over doping.
Bachelot had said on French television that Nadal's 2012 knee injury absence from the ATP was an attempt to hide a positive anti-doping test.
“We know the famous injury of Rafael Nadal, where he stopped for seven months, was definitely due to a positive test,” she said.
“When you see a tennis player stopping for months, there has been a positive test. Not every time, but very often.”
Bachelot later clarified her remarks, saying: “I merely reflected comments widely held in tennis and the press.”
A day after winning a record ninth title at the Barcelona Open, Nadal released what he said will be his only public statement on the lawsuit, filed in the Paris law courts, with the king of clay's defence team headed by French lawyer Patrick Maisonneuve.
“Through this case, I intend not only to defend my integrity and my image as an athlete but also the values I have defended all my career,” Nadal's statement read.
“I also wish to avoid any public figure from making insulting or false allegations against an athlete using the media, without any evidence or foundation and to go unpunished.”
Nadal said that any award he might receive would be donated “to an NGO or foundation in France.” – DPA