Nadal slams French 'campaign' to discredit Spain !

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He certainly seems to be of the opinion that the French in general have a problem with Spanish athletes and not just one satirical broadcaster!

Nadal slams French 'campaign' to discredit Spain

Thu, 09 Feb 17:48:00 2012

Rafa Nadal has hit out at what he called a "general campaign" in France to discredit Spanish athletes by implying their success is due to the use of illegal drugs.

Speaking a day after the Spanish tennis federation (RFET) said it would sue French TV broadcaster Canal+ for "unacceptable and damaging insinuations" in a cartoon about Nadal, the world number two said he found the attacks "sad".

"It's the kind of humour that for one day is fine but if it is repeated over and over again it's not right and I think it oversteps the line a bit," Nadal said at a training session in his home town of Manacor on the island of Mallorca on Thursday.

"I don't think it's just one media, it's a general campaign by the neighbouring country," the six-times French Open champion added.

"It's sad to see a campaign like that against something that has cost so much to achieve.

"There's no question of pills or syringes or anything like that I can assure you."

The Canal+ sketch from their show "Les Guignols", or "The Puppets", showed a life-size likeness of Nadal filling up his car's gas tank from his own bladder before being pulled over by traffic police for speeding.

"Spanish athletes. They do not win by chance," is flashed on the screen surrounded by the logo of the RFET and several other Spanish federations, including soccer and cycling.

The RFET said it planned to sue the broadcaster for the attack on Nadal as well as for reproducing the federation's emblem without permission.

Canal+ has broadcast several other cartoon sketches implying Spanish athletes use illegal drugs, including one about cyclist Alberto Contador, who was handed a two-year ban on Monday after testing positive for a banned anabolic agent during his victorious 2010 Tour de France campaign.

Contador, who was stripped of the title, denies wrongdoing.

"I think it's an issue one shouldn't comment on personally but collectively," Nadal said.

"I think in this case it's the institutions who have to defend us because I don't think it's a campaign against me or any other individual but one against Spain in general.

"I don't think it's just Canal+ who does it. There are other media who are also joining in."

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo and European Commissioner Michel Barnier, a Frenchman, were asked about the sketches at a news conference in Madrid on Thursday.

Garcia-Margallo said the government was very concerned about the "succession of images" coming out of France that had "denigrated Spanish sport".

"The videos are in extraordinarily bad taste and show a profound lack of ethics, not to say they lie," he added.

The Spanish ambassador in Paris would be writing to French media, and to the director of Canal+ in particular, to express Spain's displeasure, he added.

Barnier said French politicians had learned to distance themselves from cartoons like those shown on Canal+ and to avoid commenting on them as it did not generally help.

Canal+ could not be reached for comment.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/09022012/58/nadal-slams-french-campaign-discredit-spain.html

If this row escalates even more, it'll make for a very uncomfortable atmosphere at Roland Garros this year and might even prompt a boycott by Nadal and all the Spanish players!

Anyone think that could becoming a real possibility or is it unthinkable that Nadal would ever boycott the scene of his greatest Grand Slam triumphs??

 

[cc0509]

Mainad;6316037]
If this row escalates even more, it'll make for a very uncomfortable atmosphere at Roland Garros this year and might even prompt a boycott by Nadal and all the Spanish players!
Anyone think that could becoming a real possibility or is it unthinkable that Nadal would ever boycott the scene of his greatest Grand Slam triumphs??[/

Right, Nadal is going to boycott the grand slam where he has had the most success in his career and is now trying to break Borg's record of 6 FO's. NOT going to happen, trust me.

 

[The Bawss]

Nadal is never ever going to boycott RG.

 

[Bartelby]

The Eurozone crisis has created a lot of animosities based on latent prejudices primarily within elites.

So its not an issue that lends itself to boycotts and it doesn't even involve French tennis in this instance.

 

[Tammo]

Yeah, I highly doubt that Nadal will boycott the FO. That is his best chance this year to win a slam.

 

[celoft]

LOL. It would be like Djoker boycotting the AO. Not happening.

Claydal can only win on the dirt now. He will probably play every clay tournament he can this year.

 

[Bartelby]

A victory speech by Nadal at RG is just what is needed to put the French media in its place.

 

[Clarky21]

Right, Nadal is going to boycott the grand slam where he has had the most success in his career and is now trying to break Borg's record of 6 FO's. NOT going to happen, trust me.

May as well boycott. They can't stand him anyway,and he doesn't have a chance of winning it. Flip em' the bird while you can.

 

[kishnabe]

I wished he boycott the French Open.....Federer might finally win another one.

 

[Towser83]

Nadal won't boycott the FO and i don't blame him! Also agree with him here, if it was just a one off joke it would be ok, but the accusations keep coming from French media, journalists, former players etc.

 

[cc0509]

May as well boycott. They can't stand him anyway,and he doesn't have a chance of winning it. Flip em' the bird while you can.

Now Clarky, I thought you were feeling more optimistic about the Nadal and his chances to win the FO no?

 

[cc0509]

LOL. It would be like Djoker boycotting the AO. Not happening.

Claydal can only win on the dirt now. He will probably play every clay tournament he can this year.

Doesn't he do that every year?

 

[Clarky21]

Now Clarky, I thought you were feeling more optimistic about the Nadal and his chances to win the FO no?

Nope. I never said that. I said I thought he put up a better fight against FrankenCvac at the AO than at any time last year,and he did.

 

[Clarky21]

Doesn't he do that every year?

No different than hardcourt players playing as many hardcourt tounaments as they can to gain points.

 

[westside]

I'll get it out of the way before someone else does.

Nadal will boycott because he doesn't want to lose to Joker in 4 slams in a row.

Obviously not the case, but it would have come up eventually.

 

[cc0509]

No different than hardcourt players playing as many hardcourt tounaments as they can to gain points.

Not as difficult to do since HC surfaces make up what over 70% of the tournaments on tour?

 

[cc0509]

Nope. I never said that. I said I thought he put up a better fight against FrankenCvac at the AO than at any time last year,and he did.

So you don't think Nadal will beat Djokovic at all moving forward based on what you saw at the AO from Nadal?

 

[TTMR]

I like how the French only accuse the Spanish of using PEDs. As if no one from France ever has (see: any recent French cyclist).

The French have an especial hatred for Nadal that goes beyond even the most venomous of TWers. Not a big surprise that they stopped watering the courts on Roland Garros daily, and switched to the only fast, light ball on tour.

 

[ViscaB]

Rafa just needs to win it and limit himself to Spanish in the victory speech.

 

[Clarky21]

So you don't think Nadal will beat Djokovic at all moving forward based on what you saw at the AO from Nadal?

Nope. I sure don't.

 

[bullfan]

Rafa just needs to win it and limit himself to Spanish in the victory speech.

No matter what, I could see Rafa getting booed, and that's shabby if he does win. I think it's quite shabby what the French are doing.

 

[Crisstti]

No way Rafa would boycott RG.

Nadal won't boycott the FO and i don't blame him! Also agree with him here, if it was just a one off joke it would be ok, but the accusations keep coming from French media, journalists, former players etc.

Yep. There seems to be some animosity there. A common thing really. I know people in Chile wouldn't be too glad to see Argentinian athletes winning here (and this animosity is rather one sided in this case, wonder how it is with Spain and France).

 

[cc0509]

Nope. I sure don't.

:lol::lol: You are funny Clarky!

 

[Matchball]

This is probably a hackneyed issue but...

The French are either stupid or somebody might know something, right? I don't really believe the French are stupid... Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Nadal; I am a big fan of the Spanish school of tennis.

Do they possibly have some sort of strategy in order to escalate things before RG..?

Tennis is a sui generis sport. It's such a closed club. If they become strict with dopping controls, a possible "bad result" will go viral in a flash. All the money is put on a handful of players, just think about it and compare it to what happens in other sports ! "Kill" a player and you kill the whole industry. Unfortunately, the way the system works right now, such a move would be cannibalism.

 

[Towser83]

No way Rafa would boycott RG.



Yep. There seems to be some animosity there. A common thing really. I know people in Chile wouldn't be too glad to see Argentinian athletes winning here (and this animosity is rather one sided in this case, wonder how it is with Spain and France).

Strange. So the bad feeling is mostly from Chile towards Argentina? Maybe because Argentina have had a fair bit of success in football and with tennis players (obviously Chile have had too) but again France have had good success in football and tennis, but Spain has had more especially recently.

At the moment it is maybe strange how Spain are so good accross different sports, but this doesn't mean it is all because of cheating, but it seems like certain people in France think so.

 

[ViscaB]

No matter what, I could see Rafa getting booed, and that's shabby if he does win. I think it's quite shabby what the French are doing.

He's been there before. It does not seem to affect him. Besides he knows he will be playing twice in London this year after that. At a place where he is loved.

Neighboring countries in general show little love towards each other.

 

[Clarky21]

:lol::lol: You are funny Clarky!

Why? Do you honestly see him beating FrankenCvac anytime soon?

 

[cc0509]

Why? Do you honestly see him beating FrankenCvac anytime soon?

I am honestly not sure right now. He may, we will have to see what happens in the next few months.

 

[Bobby Jr]

Reading those comments by Nadal it seems that in the past few weeks his english speaking skills have suddenly gone from cave-man to perfect.

The PR team sat there and "massaged" those responses, no doubt about it.

 

[cc0509]

Reading those comments by Nadal it seems that in the past few weeks his english speaking skills have suddenly gone from cave-man to perfect.

The PR team sat there and "massaged" those responses, no doubt about it.

LOLLLLLL!!!!!!!

 

[MichaelNadal]

Nope. I sure don't.

I do, he's gonna get him in one of the upcoming masters if not more than 1.

 

[cc0509]

I do, he's gonna get him in one of the upcoming masters if not more than 1.

But what about the FO, the only one that really counts? Do you think Nadal will win there?

 

[dudeski]

In other news: Assad slams CNN 'campaign' to discredit Syria. Assad reportedly is sad.

 

[MichaelNadal]

But what about the FO, the only one that really counts? Do you think Nadal will win there?

As long as he beats him on clay before the FO, then yes. Nadal is playing immensely better so far than he did in 2011. Djokovic would have a much rougher road to the FO final should they meet there IMO.

 

[cc0509]

As long as he beats him on clay before the FO, then yes. Nadal is playing immensely better so far than he did in 2011. Djokovic would have a much rougher road to the FO final should they meet there IMO.

Fair enough. I was impressed with how Nadal played at the AO so we will see what he can do going forward.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

I just recently read that some French Anti-Doping Agency was allowed to operate at RG 2009 and maybe was it Madrid? This coincides with a period where records show that Nadal was tested in the 5th month of that year and shortly after his fitness level dropped and he withdrew from Wimbledon -- of all the tournaments to withdraw from! -- despite playing competitive exho sets with other top pros shortly prior on grass to see if he would be capable of competing.

The timing is really suspect, which is unfortunate to say the least. This sort of thing might indicate that Nadal is trying to save his contaminated clenbuterol bacon. Well, we just don't know, but after some folks directed me to a website called THASP, I learned so many things that don't add up which point to the sport of tennis being potentially a dirty cesspit of filth and congealed ailing artifacts.

Just saying, this sort of thing might impact in general on his reactions to such things, and also his calls on making an already pathetic anti-doping system -- where players are very rarely tested and can virtually predict when they might be tested throughout an ongoing tournament, or indeed know they can avoid a test by withdrawing from a DC tie.

 

[dudeski]

I just recently read that some French Anti-Doping Agency was allowed to operate at RG 2009 and maybe was it Madrid? This coincides with a period where records show that Nadal was tested in the 5th month of that year and shortly after his fitness level dropped and he withdrew from Wimbledon -- of all the tournaments to withdraw from! -- despite playing competitive exho sets with other top pros shortly prior on grass to see if he would be capable of competing.

The timing is really suspect, which is unfortunate to say the least. This sort of thing might indicate that Nadal is trying to save his contaminated clenbuterol bacon. Well, we just don't know, but after some folks directed me to a website called THASP, I learned so many things that don't add up which point to the sport of tennis being potentially a dirty cesspit of filth and congealed ailing artifacts.

Not everyone in tennis is a cheater. Let's focus on Nadal.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

Not everyone in tennis is a cheater. Let's focus on Nadal.

For example, with the current lax and pathetic testing methods used, Roger Federer wasn't even issued an OOC test for roughly a 2 year period.

 

[Sid_Vicious]

For example, with the current lax and pathetic testing methods used, Roger Federer wasn't even issued an OOC test for roughly a 2 year period.

Yup, they are also too chill with letting players get away with not showing up for tests. In 2009, more than 40 pros skipped a drug test and Federer was among them

 

[Sentinel]

Rafa must keep out of all this nonsense, other wise he won't be able to spank Frankenquack at the slams.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

Yup, they are also too chill with letting players get away with not showing up for tests. In 2009, more than 40 pros skipped a drug test and Federer was among them

Indeed. Sure, there are a lot of suspicions surrounding players like Nadal but the fact is that the testing is lax for every single player on tour. There are likely adverse findings that we don't know about which incur very small silent punishments and even the data which is made public shows that the ITF have no interest in making tennis players suffer a cruel and horrible demise, such as a Chinese water torture, for avoiding being drugs tested. All in all, the scene is outrageously despicable and not only that, it's a scandal, an outrage. AJDE!!

 

[bullfan]

Not everyone in tennis is a cheater. Let's focus on Nadal.

Or let's focus on all the top players and not focus on one player.... Let's focus on Djokovic, Nadal, Murray, Federer.......

 

[Clarky21]

Or let's focus on all the top players and not focus on one player.... Let's focus on Djokovic, Nadal, Murray, Federer.......

Stop making so much sense. You might cause Dudeski's head to explode from having to process so much information at the same time. :lol:

 

[Crisstti]

Strange. So the bad feeling is mostly from Chile towards Argentina? Maybe because Argentina have had a fair bit of success in football and with tennis players (obviously Chile have had too) but again France have had good success in football and tennis, but Spain has had more especially recently.

At the moment it is maybe strange how Spain are so good accross different sports, but this doesn't mean it is all because of cheating, but it seems like certain people in France think so.

Yep. I think the case might be similar with France.

He's been there before. It does not seem to affect him. Besides he knows he will be playing twice in London this year after that. At a place where he is loved.

Neighboring countries in general show little love towards each other.

It does not seem to affect him, I agree. For that matter, it would seem that when he plays angry he plays even better

Reading those comments by Nadal it seems that in the past few weeks his english speaking skills have suddenly gone from cave-man to perfect.

The PR team sat there and "massaged" those responses, no doubt about it.

Lol, you do know he made the comments in Spanish and they were translated, right?.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

Stop making so much sense. You might cause Dudeski's head to explode from having to process so much information at the same time. :lol:

It's important to understand that a beefburger doesn't become giant by casting an alien wizard spell on it, nor by hard honest work, but rather by killing enough innocent and mild mannered cows, yet the killing of such cows is never thrown in our faces other than by ardent vegetarians. The overly suspicious nature of some forum members here is the equivalent of the minority vegetarian community. Long live King Arthur.


P.S. I always speak sense, without fail.

 

[JustBob]

I like how the French only accuse the Spanish of using PEDs. As if no one from France ever has (see: any recent French cyclist).

The French have an especial hatred for Nadal that goes beyond even the most venomous of TWers. Not a big surprise that they stopped watering the courts on Roland Garros daily, and switched to the only fast, light ball on tour.

Considering that "Les Guignols" also made fun of Virenque and Longo, amongst other French athletes, I like how you are completely wrong.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

I get it, so Nadal wins the French Campaign Slam -- In other words, Roland Garros -- which in turn further sends Spanish sport into disrepute and further tarnishes its integrity...

Is this what the thread title is getting at??

 

[Feather]

I wished he boycott the French Open.....Federer might finally win another one.

Sounds incredibly insane, but Roger is gonna win this years FO

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

Sounds incredibly insane, but Roger is gonna win this years FO

Yes, it sounds INCREDIBLY insane!

 

[devila]

it's always the guys with protruding round buttocks who get humiliated by bored, greedy, phony men in labs, and sport and entertainment companies. they're trying to hide their bisexuality.