Nadal joins sports stars succumbing to greed and flocking to Saudi

If you happen to find yourself in conversation with a famous person, you learn pretty quickly that they’re not much different from the rest of us.

They do, of course, have their own unique problems, but most of the issues they face are similar to what the rest of us are dealing with.

And if you want an example of just how normal they are, you don’t have to look any further than those who are guilty of one of the most human of the seven deadly sins: greed.

Whether we like to admit it or not, greed is something we all experience, and as much as we do sometimes need to fight our urges for the sake of ourselves and those around us, when we find something we like, we tend to want more.

Not many people in the world right now, however, are displaying more greed than the growing list of sports stars who are flocking to Saudi Arabia.

International football icons are now playing for Saudi teams, most of the world’s top golfers have shown at least some interest in the LIV-Golf series, and now tennis legend Rafael Nadal has been scooped up as an ambassador for the Middle Eastern nation.

Potential development

An argument could be made that Nadal will be able to play a key role in promoting tennis in the region, potentially attracting more young players to the game and developing the sport at global level.

But making a stand against a country which is alleged to have committed multiple human rights abuses is surely the right side of the fence to be sitting on, in terms of ethical and moral values? Promoting tennis has got to be far less important than fighting for people’s freedom and equality.

Nadal said the arrangement might pave the way for him to open a tennis academy in Saudi, but while the rest of the terms of the agreement are unclear, there is no doubt that a significant amount of money was involved.

If Nadal really wanted to promote and develop tennis, there are countries all over the world which could use his assistance and are not blatantly restricting the progress of women.

During his spectacular career, the Spanish phenom has earned $135 million (R2.5 billion) in prize money alone. Add to that lucrative sponsorship and endorsement deals and it’s hard to imagine how he could be desperate to boost his bank account even further.

Displaying greed is human, but it’s not something we should be proud of, and as much as we all like good things in abundance, it’s important that we draw a line somewhere.

Nadal is of course human, but the level of greed he has reached crosses ethical and moral boundaries, and his decision to sign a deal with Saudi Arabia will leave a nasty blemish on what has otherwise been a memorable career.