Tennis star, Rafael Nadal, has filed a lawsuit against a former French minister, Roselyne Bachelot, who accused him of doping.
Bachelot, who was former minister for health, said Nadal’s seven-month injury hiatus in 2012 was “probably due to a positive doping test”.
The 29-year-old has issued a statement through his agent on Monday saying he had filed a case for defamation against Bachelot in the Paris law courts.
“This legal proceeding was instigated after Miss Bachelot made offensive remarks last March on le Grand 8 programme on French channel D8,” the statement read.
“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 added: “I also wish to avoid any public figure making insulting or false allegations against an athlete using the media, without any evidence or foundation and to go unpunished.”
The 14-time Grand Slam champion said that if he wins the case, any compensation awarded by the judge will be “paid back in full to an NGO or foundation in France.”
