Rafael Nadal has filed a defamation lawsuit against former French sports minister Roselyne Bachelot after she accused him of covering up a failed drugs test.Nadal has also written to the president of the International Tennis Federation and asked for all of his drug-test results and blood profile records to be made public as he looks to draw a line under the matter.Through this case, I intend not only to defend my integrity and my image as an athlete but also the values I have defended all my career, said world no 5 Nadal.I also wish to prevent any public figure from making insulting or false allegations against an athlete using the media, without any evidence or foundation.Bachelot, who served as sports minister between 2007 and 2010, made the comments in March on French television when asked about five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapovas admission that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open.She alleged that Nadal faked an injury in 2012, when he missed the final six months of the season due to knee problems, in order to hide a positive drug test. Former politician turned television show host Roselyne Bachelot I am tired about these things. I let it go a few times in the past. No more, the 14-time Grand Slam champion said at Indian Wells last month.The Spaniard, who turned professional as a 15-year-old, has never failed a drug test on the ATP Tour and has always vehemently denied ever using a banned substance.In a further development, Nadal wrote a letter to ITF President David Haggerty, saying: Please make all my information public. Please make public my biological passport, my complete history of anti-doping controls and tests.He also asked for all his future test results to be released. Nadal wants the ITF to make public all of his previous and future drug tests Major sports stars came to Nadals defence when the allegation surfaced, including Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.I feel bad for Rafa Nadal because he is a gentleman, a person that has shown the values he has and that everyone loves, he said of Nadal, who is an honorary member of Real Madrid.He is a professional and I know him a little. I feel bad for what they have said. He has to leave all this to one side and think that everyone who loves sport, loves Rafa Nadal, whether they be French, Spanish or American.In his statement, the 29-year-old tennis star said that if the court considered there had been wrong-doing and awarded him damages, all money would be given to an NGO or foundation in France.I ask for total respect regarding the legal procedure just started and would like to express my complete trust in the French justice system who will be judging the legal case, he added.Also See:Nadal claims Barcelona titleBroady suffers first-round lossVerdasco triumphs in RomaniaKerber defends Stuttgart titleUltra Boost Schweiz . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. Adidas Eqt Schweiz . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. http://www.nmdschweizkaufen.ch/nmd-r2-outlet.html . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Adidas Eqt Damen Sale . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Adidas Ultra Boost Schweiz . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler.The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the final two challenges to the estimated $1 billion settlement between the NFL and thousands of its former players who have been diagnosed with brain injuries linked to repeated concussions. Players who already have been diagnosed with Lou Gehrigs disease, Parkinsons, Alzheimers or dementia could begin receiving payments in 90 to 120 days.This is a historical moment for the retired player community who, in the face of great adversity, took on the NFL, said attorney Christopher Seeger, who represented the class of more than 20,000 former NFL players now eligible for payments for the next 65 years.Despite the difficult health situations retired players face today, and that many more will unfortunately face in the future, they can have peace of mind knowing that this settlements benefits will finally become available to them and will last for decades to come.The league has estimated that 6,000 former players -- or nearly three in 10 -- could develop Alzheimers disease or moderate dementia. Payments could be as high as $5 million for those with Lou Gehrigs disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS; the average payout is expected to be closer to $190,000.Seeger said more than 11,000 have pre-registered for benefits.We will make sure that every single eligible retired player takes advantage of this settlements benefits, he told reporters in a conference call. We will be undertaking a massive education effort to ensure that all former NFL players know about the settlements benefits and understand how to file a claim.The class-action lawsuit filed in Philadelphia accused the NFL of hiding what it knew about the link between concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease that has been found in dozens of former players after their deaths. Senior U.S. District Judge Anita B. Brody approved the deal last year after twice sending it back to lawyers over concerns the fund might run out.The deal was upheld by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in April.We must hesitate before rejecting that bargain based on an unsupported hope that sending the parties back to the negotiating table would lead to a better deal, Judge Thomas L. Ambro wrote for the unanimous three-judge panel that affirmed the settlement.But two separate petitions -- one from the family of late Buffalo Bills fullback Cookie Gilchrist, and the other from a group of 31 players that included including 1996 Super Bowl MVP Larry Brown and Hall of Famer Charles Haley -- asked the nations highest court to stop the settlement. Their requests for a Supreme Court hearing were rejected without comment from the justices on Monday.The NFL admitted no fault as part of the setttlement, though a league official did acknowledge during congressional testimony that there is a link between football and CTE.dddddddddddd. The deal avoids the need for a trial and means the NFL may never have to disclose what it knew and when about the risks and treatment of repeated concussions.Still, Seeger said, much progress has been made.When this lawsuit was first filed, discussions over concussions and player safety in the NFL were rare, and holding the NFL accountable seemed almost impossible, Seeger said. But with the help of these players, more and more attention is placed on the issue of safety and head injuries in sports. Those who had the courage to file suit and take on this cause deserve tremendous credit for what they have achieved.In a statement, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league was pleased with the decision.We look forward to working with class counsel and Judge Brody to implement the settlement and provide the important benefits that our retired players and their families have been waiting to receive, McCarthy said.Critics complained that the settlement approved by Brody does not cover future CTE cases. The lead negotiators said they instead set aside compensation for treatment for some CTE symptoms. That does not include the depression, aggression and mood swings reported by some former players who experienced repeated concussions.Other payments are expected to be around $4 million for past CTE deaths and $3.5 million for advanced Alzheimers disease. They will not need to prove that their diagnosis is the result of NFL football to receive an award, Seeger said.Players lawyers who negotiated the deal with the NFL -- and stand to split $112 million in fees -- say the settlement will help families get needed financial awards or medical testing that might take years if the case went to trial.Ambro agreed.Compensation for players who are coping with these symptoms now is surely preferable to waiting until they die to pay their estates for a CTE diagnosis, the judge wrote.Seeger closed his comments by thanking former New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles fullback Kevin Turner, who was the lead plaintiff in the litigation. Researchers announced last month that Turner suffered from CTE to a degree that they had not seen for an athlete who died in his 40s.Its really important that people understand that without the commitment that Kevin made, it wouldnt be possible to get where we are, Seeger said. I end this on somewhat of a sad note that Kevin couldnt be here to see this.---AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '