Sports Heroes and the Invulnerability of Their Reputation to Sportswashing: The Case of Rafael Nadal

Sport celebrities have become prominent figures in pop culture. When their reputation and fame increase, they often partner with nonsport industries to gain business. Their representation of classical hero values protects them in the case of perceived misbehaviors and crises. One of those cases of perceived misbehavior is their participation in “sportswashing campaigns,” which do not seem to have major reputational consequences for them. Rafael Nadal is an example of that, having decided to become a tennis ambassador for Saudi Arabia, a country with a poor record of human rights. Through an analysis of the hero features model to Nadal’s personal traits, this paper argues that being a sports hero, Nadal’s reputation enjoys a higher level of protection than other public figures in a cancellation culture.