Rafael Nadal faces backlash over his honorary doctorate award

Rafael Nadal was recently awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Salamanca (USAL), a decision that has sparked some controversy among university stakeholders.

The Reason for controversy 

While the majority of the university doctors voted in favour of Nadal's nomination, with 177 votes supporting the honour, a notable 34% expressed reservations about his eligibility for this distinction.

The voting process took place on Monday, January 27, and typically, nominations of this nature achieve unanimous support. This situation opens up an important dialogue about the criteria and values considered in awarding honorary titles.

Critics pointed out Nadal's insufficient academic credentials and his connections with the university as compelling reasons to reject his nomination. Jose Manuel Corchado, who chaired the voting session, faced backlash for endorsing Nadal.

"The decision has caused a lot of commotion and unrest. It is a whim to try to appear in the media for other more edifying issues [than the criticism of Corchado’s manoeuvres]. In reality, it achieves the opposite, stirring up the unrest that was still more or less latent and further damaging the national image of the university," said university sources.

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In stark contrast, microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier, who was also nominated alongside Nadal, received an overwhelming 263 votes in favour, with only two votes against her. This clear disparity between the candidates was evident even during the nomination phase.

While the King of Clay faced six rejections and three objections, Charpentier encountered merely one abstention. Despite facing substantial criticism, Ricardo Canal, Dean of the Faculty of Education, unequivocally praised Rafael Nadal.

"One of the best athletes of all time, an example of values such as discipline and teamwork, humility and simplicity, perseverance and the spirit of improvement, and commitment to excellence," Canal stated.

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