Maréva Laville with AFP // Photo credit: Justin Setterfield / GETTY IMAGES ASIAPAC / Getty Images via AFP
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2:35 p.m., August 26, 2023
The forced kiss scandal continues to shake the world of Spanish football: after the refusal on Friday to resign from Luis Rubiales, boss of the federation, the players of the selection took up the cause of Jenni Hermoso and announced that they would no longer play with La Roja if the current leadership was maintained. What is already dubbed the “#MeToo of Spanish football”, after Luis Rubiales’ forced kiss to number Jenni Hermoso on Sunday night during the medal presentation in Sydney, got a final twist on Friday night with the announcement of a strike by the women’s national team.
The 23 players of the Spanish national team, crowned world champions on Sunday in Australia, announced in a statement from the Futpro union that they refused to play again with La Roja “if the current leaders [étaient] maintained”. The text, already signed by 81 players, remains open to other signatures, said the union. In the same press release, Jenni Hermoso indicated that she had “at no time consented to this kiss”: “I do not tolerate anyone questioning my word and even less inventing words that I did not say”.
“Let’s get it over with”
Enough to completely dismantle the defense of Luis Rubiales, who refused to resign from his post a few hours earlier before the extraordinary general meeting of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) meeting near Madrid. In office since 2018, the former defender launched a counterattack, saying the kiss was, according to him, “reciprocal” and “consensual” and that he had obtained permission to do so, while castigating “false feminism”.
Father of three daughters, Luis Rubiales on the other hand asked “forgiveness to the queen” Letizia for his gesture on the balcony of the Sydney stadium, when he had grabbed his genitals, when he was less than two meters from ‘She. “What we saw today at the Assembly of the Federation is unacceptable (…). It is over with impunity for macho acts. Rubiales cannot remain in his post”, reacted immediately Yolanda Díaz on X (ex-Twitter), demanding “urgent action” from the government.
Lo que hemos visto hoy en la Asamblea de la Federación is unacceptable. El Gobierno debe actuar y tomar medidas urgentes: se acabó la impunidad para las acciones machistas. Rubiales no puede seguir en el cargo.
— Yolanda Diaz (@Yolanda_Diaz_) August 25, 2023
Since this sensational announcement, many voices have been raised to condemn the attitude of Luis Rubiales, like FC Barcelona footballer Alexia Putellas, double Ballon d’Or. “It’s unacceptable. Let’s get it over with. I’m with you dear Jenni Hermoso,” she said on X. Other Spanish players broke their silence, denouncing “intolerable” behavior and giving their support to Hermoso , while the hashtag “#SeAcabo” (It’s over) began to emerge on the networks.
Esto is unacceptable. Se acabo. Contigo compañera @Jennihermoso
— Alexia Putellas (@alexiaputellas) August 25, 2023
Iker Casillas speaks of ‘total shame’
“Out of respect for football. That’s enough! It’s time for this to change for good,” the women’s professional football league wrote on X. For his part, former Real Madrid and ‘Roja’ goalkeeper Iker Casillas spoke of ‘total shame’ about Rubiales while Betis Sevilla striker Borja Iglesias announced he would no longer wear the shirt. of the national team. Even some clubs were indignant, such as Espanyol Barcelona who said they were waiting for “measures” from the federation or even Sevilla FC who considered “not to feel represented” by the boss of Spanish football and asked for his resignation. .
Barça, former club of Hermoso, launched a half-hearted condemnation, deploring “regrettable facts” and unjustifiable. The Catalan club note, however, that “Luis Rubiales himself acknowledged an error and apologized for it”. The affair broke out when Spain is a candidate, with Portugal and Morocco, for the organization of the Men’s World Cup in 2030, which will be awarded at the end of next year.
Luis Rubiales had been filmed during the celebration of the victory of the female “Roja” over England in the final of the World Cup, kissing on the mouth by surprise Jenni Hermoso. He had apologized on Monday, explaining that it was a gesture “without any bad intention”. But the condemnations of the Spanish political class, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and football circles, including the famous American player Megan Rapinoe, have only increased.
An act considered a sexual assault
The case finally went up to Fifa, which on Thursday launched disciplinary proceedings against Luis Rubiales. LaLiga president Javier Tebas harshly attacked his counterpart on Friday: “The list of women and men offended in recent years by Luis Rubiales is too long, it must stop.” The High Council for Sports, a government body, has announced that it will take the case to the Administrative Court for Sports in the coming days.
If the court concludes that this kiss is a fault according to the code of professional sport, the Superior Council of Sports, a state body, could then suspend Luis Rubiales from his duties. Kissing someone without their consent is considered sexual assault in Spain.