After scandal kiss
Spain’s soccer players have gone on strike
Jennifer Hermoso was kissed on the mouth by Luis Rubiales after winning the World Cup.
© imago/ZUMA Wire
Spain’s footballers are calling for the national team not to play again until Luis Rubiales is no longer president of the association.
In an official letter Spanish footballer have expressed their solidarity with Jennifer Hermoso (33). What’s more, the letter calls for refusing an appointment to the Spanish national team until Spain’s president, Luis Rubiales (46), is ousted.
Rubiales caused a real scandal when he kissed Hermoso on the mouth at the awards ceremony after winning the World Cup. Women’s rights activists reacted outraged, spoke of “sexual violence” and demanded severe consequences. Even the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (51) criticized: “What we saw is unacceptable.”
Numerous women footballers have already signed the call for a national team strike – including the entire 23-strong squad that won the world championship against England on August 20th. Over 50 other people have also agreed to stay away from the national team until Rubiales faces real consequences.
Jennifer Hermoso posts emotional statement
The affected player Jennifer Hermoso is enthroned as the first name on the long list of signatories. She had separately from the call also announced their decision via social medianot wanting to play for the Spanish national team anymore for the time being.
In it, she reiterates the accusation that “the words of Mr. Luis Rubiales to explain the unspeakable incident are categorically wrong”. She wanted to make it clear that “his kiss was never consensual”. That’s exactly what Rubiales had claimed after the media uproar.
FIFA has already initiated disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales. At the same time, it became known that it was by no means the first misconduct by the Spanish association president: The Spanish newspaper “El Confidencial” reportsRubiales asked a staff member the color of her underwear and told her she should wear “knee pads” when working togethern. He is also said to have taken a woman from Mexico on a trip to New York at the expense of the association.