Spanish Govt. backs Nadal over doping allegations

The Spanish Government and Olympic Committee have come in support of tennis maestro Rafael Nadal after doping allegations were levelled against him by a former French official.

According to Sport24, Minister for Health and Sport of France, Roselyne Bachelot, said that Nadal's seven-month injury break in 2012 was due to the failed drug test.

Reflecting on the comments, the Spanish Olympic Committee said that Nadal had been submitted to innumerable anti-doping controls that he had always passed throughout his long career.

Echoing similar views, Spain's Higher Sports Council president Miguel Cardenal said Bachelot had insulted one of the most important athletes in the history of tennis.

Meanwhile, Nadal's coach and uncle, Toni Nadal also lashed out at Bachelot and described him as an 'imbecile'.

Earlier, Nadal had defended his training methods and out-rightly rejected to have used any banned substance in order to speed up his recovery from injury.

Describing himself as 'clean', the 39-year-old said that he never had the temptation of doing something wrong and insisted that he was extremely far from indulging in doping.

Bachelot's remarks came after former World number one Maria Sharapova announced that the she had failed doping test at Australian Open in January.

Sharapova also received a provisional ban after she tested positive for meldonium, a substance, she has been taking since 2006 for health issues.