2 weeks Ago By Pritha Ghosh
Rafael Nadal usually steers clear of controversy, but he didn’t hold back when asked about Maria Sharapova’s doping scandal. The Spaniard made it clear that rules are rules, and if the Russian had made a mistake, she had to face the consequences like any other player. Sharapova found herself at the center of a doping controversy in 2016 after testing positive for meldonium — a substance added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) banned list at the start of that year.
She revealed she had been using it for ten years to treat various health problems, including a heart condition and magnesium deficiency, and claimed she didn’t know it had recently been prohibited. As a result, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) handed the five-time Grand Slam champion a two-year suspension. However, following her appeal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reduced the ban to 15 months, stating that she bore "no significant fault" and hadn’t deliberately tried to cheat.
The controversy sparked a wide range of reactions in the tennis world, and Nadal was among those who voiced their opinion. In an interaction with the media (via The Guardian ), the Spaniard said: Maria Sharapova resumed her career at the 2017 Stuttgart Open and continued to compete until her retirement in 2020. In the same 2016 interview, Rafael Nadal also addressed the broader doping issue in tennis and shared his personal stance.
He explained that he wasn't well-versed in doping bans since he had always remained clean throughout his career, stressing that he had never resorted to any substances for quicker recovery from injuries. Nadal said (via The Guardian ): Although the 22-time Major champion faced doping-related allegations over the years, he never tested positive for any banned substances. Like his arch-rival Roger Federer, he was able to retire without any such controversies.
Pritha Ghosh Pritha is one of the driving forces behind Sportskeeda's tennis & baseball coverage, serving as an assistant content manager and editor. What began as a casual escape from her tiring biotechnology degree course in early 2022 has blossomed into a passion she loves, cherishes, and breathes every day. Pritha’s love for the sport was spawned by her dad who showed her clips of "GOAT" Steffi Graf’s matches.
Despite a thwarted dream of playing professionally due to injury, she finds solace in reporting the sport, while also mentoring other writers to ensure every article is error-free and top-notch. She double checks credible sources, such as the tournament/player handles and big tennis media outlets, and gives proper credit where required. Pritha's journey at Sportskeeda is marked by nearly 2000 articles and close to 12 million views, with the "dream-come-true" moment of having her article shared by Chris Evert serving as a highlight of her career.
A lifelong Wimbledon fan, Pritha also adores Rafael Nadal, Elena Rybakina, and Naomi Osaka. When she's not seeking unique angles to elevate tennis coverage at Sportskeeda, she loves to channel her inner astrophysics "nerd" by exploring new sci-fi series and movies. A big Lionel Messi, Lewis Hamilton, and Randy Orton fan, she is always ready to engage in sports conversations anytime, anywhere, albeit not without a cup of coffee.
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