The outgoing Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, on Tuesday described as an “unacceptable gesture” the forced kiss of the president of the Spanish football federation on a player, after the victory of the women’s national team in the final of the World Cup, considering his “insufficient” apologies. “What we saw was an unacceptable gesture”, commented Pedro Sánchez during a press conference in Madrid after an audience with King Felipe VI, calling on the president of the federation to “go further”, without further ado details.
It was the first comment from the outgoing head of government on the controversy that has swelled since Sunday, when the president of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, kissed striker Jenni Hermoso on the mouth in Sydney after the world crown of the Spanish players. Luis Rubiales apologized in a video posted on social media on Monday, saying it was an act “without any bad intention, without any bad faith”.
“Insufficient” excuses
But Pedro Sánchez considered that “the apologies that Luis Rubiales gave are not enough”. “I even think that they are inappropriate and that he must therefore go further,” added the head of government, whose country is considered a pioneer in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence. To a journalist who asked him if he was calling for the resignation of Luis Rubiales, Pedro Sánchez simply replied that the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) was not a body dependent on the government.
The images shot on Sunday on the podium at ANZ Stadium in Sydney showed Luis Rubiales kissing the player on the mouth, taking her head between his two hands. Taken up by Spanish media, they spread like wildfire on social networks, sparking numerous criticisms of Luis Rubiales. “I didn’t like it, huh!” Reacted the Spanish N.10 in the locker room during a live broadcast on Instagram, before smiling at the goal.
“A Spontaneous Celebration”
She later explained, in statements released to the press by the federation, that it was “a totally spontaneous mutual gesture because of the immense joy that comes from winning a World Cup”. “The president and I have a great relationship, his behavior with all of us was perfect and it was a natural gesture of affection and gratitude,” added Jennifer Hermoso. “It’s a spontaneous celebration, which manifests itself like this. The two are very close friends,” a source within the Federation told AFP.
But since then, several ministers of the Spanish leftist government, including Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz, number three in the government, have called for the resignation of Luis Rubiales, citing a clear and actionable gesture.