Critics slam University of Salamanca for awarding Rafael Nadal with honorary doctorate
Rafael Nadal along with Nobel laureate Emmanuelle Charpentier was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Salamanca.
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The University of Salamanca (USAL) has awarded former tennis player Rafael Nadal an honorary doctorate, which many regard a contentious decision. The USAL doctors voted on Monday, January 27, to elect the 22-time Grand Slam champion for the honorary position.
While 34% voted against the move, with 177 votes in favor, Nadal became eligible for the title. In normal cases, the nominations receive unanimous support.
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 maneuvers]. 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.
Reported via El Pais
French microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020, was also nominated alongside Rafael Nadal. She secured 263 votes in favour and just two against. The stark contrast between the two candidates was clear even during the nomination stage. While the Spaniard received six rejections and three abstentions, Charpentier was met with just one abstention.
Dean Ricardo Canal backs the decision of awarding honorary doctorate to Rafael Nadal
Critics have emphasized on Rafael Nadal’s lack of connection with the University and lack of research or academic prestige to make him worthy of the honoris causa. Jose Manuel Corchado, who chaired the voting session, was heavily criticized, as he defended the nomination.
The dean of the faculty of education, Ricardo Canal, praised Nadal as one of the best athletes of all time. He remarked that Nadal exemplifies values such as discipline and teamwork, humility and simplicity, perseverance and the spirit of improvement, and commitment to excellence.
Canal insisted that these values fit into USAL’s philosophy for its students, whether to help them become professionals or researchers who work for a better society. He hailed Nadal as a great ambassador for the country and believes that he can also be one for the university.
Notably, Nadal had also received an honorary doctorate from the European University of Madrid in 2015. Other major honors of the Spaniard include Gran Cruz de la Orden del Dos de Mayo (2020), Grand Vermeil (2015), and the Prince of Asturias award (2008).
His ‘Big 3’ rival, Roger Federer also received an honorary doctorate from his home university in 2017, the University of Basel, in recognition of his role in increasing the international reputation of Basel and Switzerland, and for his work for children in Africa through his charitable foundation.
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Lakshya Chopra
(2611 Articles Published)