The Pfizer vaccine at the origin of Rafael Nadal’s poor form? It’s wrong

Rafael Nadal victim of the Pfizer vaccine? Eliminated in the round of 16 of the Rome tournament last Thursday, Rafael Nadal signs the worst start to the season on clay in his career.

Bad news as Roland-Garros approaches, which is due to start on Sunday. The Spaniard, who will turn 36 on June 3, seems to be in more trouble than ever. The reason for this decline? According to many Internet users, “Rafa” would be the victim of side effects from the Pfizer vaccine.

“Just look at Nadal, his career is over! Thank you Pfizer! », « Nadal was very strong. But Pfizer was too strong”, “Now you will have to stop your career… like so many other athletes vaccinated with this shit! “… Messages to this effect are multiplying on social networks.

FAKE OFF

Rafael Nadal’s poor form has nothing to do with the Covid-19 vaccine. The Spanish champion suffers from a left foot injury and spoke about it just after his defeat against the Canadian Denis Shapovalov in Rome: “I did not get injured, I am a player who lives with this injury […] It’s a pain that comes and goes. Sometimes stronger, sometimes less. Today was crazy. »

This injury, which had already forced him to end his season early last year, is “only” the result of a long series of physical glitches for the Majorcan. Knees, ankle, foot, back, wrist, Rafael Nadal has never been spared. He confirmed in August last year to be a victim of Mueller-Weiss syndrome since 2005. This pathology is a degenerative disease, which results in a deformation of a bone located in the central part of the foot. The left for Nadal. This fairly rare form of osteoarthritis is painful and requires rest and orthopedic insoles.

Hola todos: quería comunicaros que desgraciadamente tengo que poner fin a la temporada 2021.
Sincerely llevo un año sufriendo mucho más de lo que debería con con mi pie y necesito tomarme un tiempo.

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) August 20, 2021

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A stand at the origin?

But if Rafael Nadal is the target of opponents of vaccination, it is not by chance. He is undoubtedly paying for his positions in favor of vaccination. While the case of Novak Djokovic had divided the world of Tennis, Rafael Nadal had described the refusal of the vaccine as a “slightly selfish posture” in November 2021. The Serb, opposed to vaccination had been turned away by the Australian authorities last January , which had prevented him from participating in the first Grand Slam of the season. The Majorcan then commented: “I’m sorry for him, but he knew the conditions. »

This is not the first rumor to affect the Spaniard since last March, in the final of the Indian Wells tournament (in the United States), he complained of difficulty breathing: “When I breathe, when I move, it’s like a needle that you press”, relaunching the debate on the effects of vaccines on athletes. It was actually a fractured rib.

False information attributing difficulties, injuries or even deaths among athletes to the anti-Covid-19 vaccine has been increasing for several months without any being founded.