The RFEF president Luis Rubiales has been facing the heat from the football fraternity and netizens due to his actions following the final of the recently concluded Women’s FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The finals of the tournament saw Spain defeat rivals England to be crowned the new world champions of Women’s football. Controversy struck later on when Rubiales kissed Spain’s Jenni Hermoso on the lips out of excitement during the medal and trophy presentation ceremony.
This gesture has been met with widespread criticism and garnered a lot of backlash from fans, critics, and fellow footballers, who believe that such an act is objectionable, especially on a global sporting platform viewed by millions across the globe. Rubiales has been widely condemned for the act as Spanish FA’s regional presidents have since been urging him to resign from his post of RFEF president.
In response, Rubiales has consistently maintained his grounds stating that the kiss was “consensual” and hence has refused to step down from his position. However, Hermoso has stated otherwise, clarifying that she did not consent to the kiss, which has led to Spanish prosecutors opening a criminal investigation into the president. Furthermore, she says that she was pressured into saying that she was pressured into making a statement downplaying the incident.
Hermoso clarified in an interview following the incident, stating that;
“The situation shocked me given the celebrations that were taking place at the moment and with the passage of time and after delving a little deeper into those initial feelings, I feel the need to report this incident because I believe that no person, in any work, sports, or social setting should be a victim of these types of non-consensual behaviours. I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse driven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part.”
As a consequence of his actions, FIFA, and the Commission of Presidents of Regional and Territorial Federations of the RFEF have slammed a 90-day suspension order on Rubiales deeming his behaviour as “unacceptable” while calling for his resignation and a “restructuring in strategic positions”.
Rubiales’s close friend and Spanish women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda has also spoken up regarding the incident, criticizing him for his action during the medal distribution ceremony, which has further left him cornered amidst the entire controversy. As a mark of protest against the RFEF president, a huge number of fellow Spanish players have pledged their support to the Spanish star, 81 players have promised they won’t play for the Spanish National Team until Luis Rubiales is removed from his position.
A statement released by the players’ union FutPro proclaiming the demand by the players was signed by all 23 members of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad, all of whom called for Rubiales to step down, in addition to 58 other footballers.
