How long will Luis Rubiales, the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), be able to hang on to his post? On Saturday August 26, the six members of the management of the Spanish women’s football team announced that they had submitted their resignations, after Luis Rubiales forced the kiss on the player Jenni Hermoso, leaving coach Jorge Vilda without assistants.
In a press release published on social networks, the signatories, including deputy Vilda Montse Tomé, affirm “having made the decision to submit their resignation” to the RFEF and express “their firm and categorical condemnation of the behavior of Luis Rubiales with regard to Jennifer Hermoso”.
Before them, in a press release to the EFE agency, Luis de la Fuente, the coach of the men’s team of Spain, had condemned “without reservation the inappropriate and inappropriate behavior of the president of the REF”hoping that “the competent bodies will take the necessary decisions as soon as possible. »
Provisional suspension decided by FIFA
At the start of the afternoon, FIFA, which had already launched disciplinary proceedings against Luis Rubiales, decided to suspend him provisionally. “We have decided today to temporarily suspend Mr. Luis Rubiales from all football-related activity at national and international level”the world football governing body said in a statement, adding that the suspension would last at least ninety days, pending the progress of the proceedings against the Spaniard.
The forced kiss of the president of the Federation is part of a heavy context within the Spanish selection. Players have been denouncing the methods judged for months “dictatorial” of the coach, Jorge Vilda, who benefited from the unwavering support of Mr. Rubiales. The president of the federation was also accused of having organized orgies with RFEF money in September 2022.
The Spanish federation attacks Jenni Hermoso
During the day, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) responded by calling ” lies “ the charges against its president. “The RFEF and the President [Rubiales] will prove every lie posted by anyone on behalf of the player, or, if so, by the player herself.”said the instance in a press release published on the night of Friday to Saturday, while Jennifer Hermoso said to herself “victim of assault” in a press release.
“I never consented to this kiss [que Luis Rubiales] gave me and I in no way sought to approach the President. I do not tolerate anyone questioning my word and even less inventing words that I did not say.assured M.me Hermoso in a press release published on his social networksthus contradicting the defense of Mr. Rubiales. “I felt vulnerable and victim of an aggression, an impulsive and sexist act, inappropriate and without any consent on my part”insisted the Spanish international.
Her teammates announced that they would refuse to play again for the selection under the current management of the federation. “After everything that happened during the medal ceremony of the Women’s World Cup, all the players who signed this text will not honor a next summons if the current leaders are maintained”wrote the twenty-three world champions in a press release issued by the Futpro union.
“Rubiales cannot stay in his post”
In Spain, kissing someone without their consent is considered an offense under sexual assault law, and the case could therefore go to court: Victor Francos, the president of the Superior Sports Council (CSD), a government body, promised that it would take action if the RFEF did not.
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He assured that he would take the case to the Administrative Court for Sport, a Spanish court. The initiative was welcomed by Irene MonteroMinister for Equality, who writes on X (formerly Twitter): « face [à l’impunité de M. Rubiales], the prosecution and the CSD act to protect the player, to say no to machismo and to guarantee the right to sexual freedom. »
In addition, the Spanish public prosecutor’s office reported to Agence France-Presse that it had received four complaints against Mr. Rubiales, but as these were not filed by the victims themselves, there is a doubt concerning their admissibility.
On August 21, Mr. Rubiales brushed aside the controversy, saying that those who criticized him were “cons”. A few hours later, he apologizedexplaining that it was a gesture “without any bad intention”by adding : “If people have been injured, I must apologize, there is nothing else to do. »
But other images came to aggravate the case of the president of the RFEF, in particular those where we see him, still Sunday, on the balcony of honor of the stadium, grab his genitals to celebrate the team’s victory, a gesture for which he asked forgiveness.