"If a cyclist did the same thing, everyone would fall on him calling him doped" - French cyclist Guillaume Martin raises questions over Rafael Nadal taking injections at 2022 French Open
Despite suffering from a chronic foot injury, Spanish tennis icon Rafael Nadal managed to win the 2022 French Open on Sunday as he beat Norway's Casper Ruud in straight sets in the final.
While most of the sporting world has been congratulating the 22-time Grand Slam champion, French cyclist Guillaume Martin has expressed his displeasure at Nadal's admission to using injections to numb his pain during the tournament.
Speaking to the French newspaper L'Equipe, Martin stated that he is embarrassed by the fact that the use of "infiltrations" is allowed in certain sports and called for the standardization of regulations across sports.
"What Rafael Nadal did would have been impossible on the bike, and I find that normal. If we are sick or injured, we don't run, we don't compete, that seems like common sense to me. In the long term, I'm not sure it will do Nadal's ankle any good. Drugs and infiltrations not only have a healing effect, they can certainly improve the performance. If a cyclist did the same thing, even if it weren't forbidden, everyone would fall on him calling him doped," said Martin.
Guillaume Martin à propos des infiltrations de Nadal pour #RolandGarros et les différences de règlement : "Si un cycliste faisait ça, déjà c'est interdit, mais quand bien même ça ne le serait pas, on lui tomberait dessus en le qualifiant de dopé."
lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-r… https://t.co/8ZTySgNuhi
Right through the French Open, Rafael Nadal said he would only talk about his foot injury once the tournament was over. In a press conference after the final, the 36-year-old revealed that he was playing with "injections on the nerves" to anesthetize his foot and reduce the pain.
"I was able to play during these two weeks in extreme conditions, no? I have been playing with injections on the nerves to sleep the foot, and that's why I was able to play during these two weeks. I have no feeling in my foot because my doctor was able to put anesthetic injections on my nerves. That takes out the feeling on my foot," Nadal said.
Rafael Nadal confirms that he had injections in his foot to ‘put it to sleep’ throughout #RolandGarros.
He intends to try a treatment to ‘burn’ the nerve for the long term.
If that doesn’t work, he might have to consider a ‘major surgery’. Says he will take it step by step.
Rafael Nadal will participate in Wimbledon if his body allows it
In the same press conference, Rafael Nadal was asked if he would take more injections just to be able to play at Wimbledon. The Spaniard instantly replied in the negative, considering how risky the process can be.
"No. Wimbledon has always been a priority. If I am able to play with anti-inflammatories, yes; to play with anesthetic injections, no. I don't want to put myself in that position again. It can happen once, but it is not a philosophy of life that I want to follow," said Nadal.
Nadal has not yet confirmed his participation at Wimbledon, saying he would play if his body allows it.
“I’m going to be in Wimbledon if my body is ready to be in Wimbledon. That’s it. Wimbledon is not a tournament that I want to miss. I think nobody wants to miss Wimbledon. I love Wimbledon," he said.