Outgoing Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez claimed on Saturday that Spain’s players had taught “a lesson to the world” by going on strike after the forced-kissing affair and the refusal to resign by their now-suspended boss Luis Rubiales. “Our players have won twice: once on the pitch, and then giving the world a lesson, a lesson in equality between men and women,” said socialist Pedro Sanchez during a speech in Malaga, welcoming the decision of the 23 world champions to no longer wear the jersey of the national team if the direction of the football federation was maintained.
A few minutes after the world coronation of La Roja, on August 20 in Sydney, the boss of the Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales kissed the N.10 Jenni Hermoso on the mouth by surprise, causing international outrage. “Spain is a feminist country”, explained Pedro Sanchez, speaking “of the women who have decided not to submit anymore. Never again. It’s over”, in reference to the slogan chanted in the demonstrations of support for Jenni Hermoso. “It’s over, (they say) to men, fiancés, husbands, their leaders, presidents of sports federations. It’s over”, he repeated, evoking an “unstoppable wave , giant”.
“False feminism”
Then wondering “if this has harmed the external image of Spain”, the head of government considered that “no: I believe that the Spain brand is the exemplary reaction of the players of the selection Spanish football club and the reaction of Spanish society which said, joining them, ‘it’s over’, with all the consequences that this can have, especially for the leaders”. Pushed from all sides to resign, Luis Rubiales had announced that he would remain in office during a sensational speech in which he said that he was not going to leave “because of a little kiss granted”, and denounced a lawsuit brought by a “false feminism”.
The same evening, the 23 players of the female Roja, consecrated world champions on August 20, announced that they refused to be summoned for the selection as long as there would be no change at the head of the federation. . This August 25 speech was applauded by almost all of the General Assembly of the Spanish Federation (RFEF), including the coaches of the men’s and women’s teams. FIFA, which had opened a disciplinary investigation against Luis Rubiales, suspended him the next day for 90 days “from all football-related activity at national and international level” pending the progress of the procedures in progress.
“Political and media lynching”
A procedure is also underway in Spain, with the Administrative Court for Sport. On Friday evening, Luis Rubiales, who had remained silent since his speech a week earlier, insisted in a statement published by the newspaper El Mundo that he would continue to defend his “one and only version, the one I have had since the first moment , which I continue to defend and will not change”. He castigated “an unprecedented political and media lynching (…) not only nationally, but also globally”.