The Manacorian tennis player does not believe that we should seek “a new normal” after the coronavirus pandemic, but that this will be the one that everyone accepts
by EuropaPress
The tennis player Rafa Nadal, number two in the world, said he does not think we should seek “a new normal” after the coronavirus pandemic, but that this will be the one that everyone accepts, and regretted that those who “make decisions in politics” do so “thinking that there are new elections”.
“I have very clear opinions, but unfortunately I cannot pronounce myself on whether things are being done well, very well, badly or fatally, because the reality is that what I say in the end is taken as a political issue. We are at such a sensitive time that everything is being politicised,” he said in an interview with El País Semanal.
In this sense, he wanted to distance himself from political parties. “What do I care if Vox, the PP, Podemos, the PSOE, Ciudadanos or whoever does it well? I don’t care about Casado, Abascal, Arrimadas, Iglesias or Sánchez. Let them get us out of this and let us have the least number of deaths and the least economic impact possible,” he said.
“But there is a problem in politics, and that is that those who make decisions, unfortunately, always do so thinking that there are new elections. In an ideal world, it would be very positive if, in a situation like this, those who make the decisions were the best in each field and without any political aspirations,” he said. “A very complicated future is coming and we are going to need the experience of the best to get out of it,” he added.
In addition, the Spaniard said he does not believe in the concept of “new normality”. “I imagine the tracks and full stadiums, which is how I like to see them. You have to be patient and find the medicine, but I don’t believe in looking for a new normality. The new normal will be the one we accept. I like seeing people, hugging people, sharing with people… and we have to look for this again. We can’t just settle for forever keeping our distance,” he said.
Finally, he valued the initiative of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), the WTA and the ATP to help more than 800 tennis players outside the ‘Top 100′ who have suffered more acutely from the consequences of the stop by the coronavirus. “I am part of the Players’ Council and I believe we have a responsibility to try to help the sport prevail in the best possible way,” he said.
“Different measures have been taken, and one of them is to create a fund for the 100 best players in the world to contribute an amount of money to help the rest of the players, who are having a hard time and are living difficult situations, and many ATP workers. This is a fund to help the tennis world in general, not just players. In difficult times you are forced to think about the one who is worse off than you,” he concluded.
