Dozens of feminine soccer gamers refuse to play over Luis Rubiales kissing Jenni Hermoso

On Saturday, August 26, the Spanish soccer federation stated it might take authorized motion in opposition to Spanish lady soccer ahead participant Jenni Hermoso’s feedback about its president Luis Rubiales kissing her, claiming she is mendacity about it being non-consensual.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) stated, “The RFEF and Mr President will exhibit every of the lies which are unfold both by somebody on behalf of the participant or, if relevant, by the participant herself.

“The RFEF and the President, given the seriousness of the content of the press release from the Futpro union, will initiate the corresponding legal actions.”

The federation additionally stated that, if chosen, gamers have “an obligation” to play for the nationwide crew, after 81 feminine gamers stated they’d not characterize Spain till Rubiales is faraway from his publish.

On Friday, August 25, the Spanish lady soccer ahead participant Jenni Hermoso joined 80 different girls gamers to protest in opposition to the Spain girls’s soccer federation chief Luis Rubiales, who got here below harsh criticism after he kissed footballer Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s 1-0 victory over England within the World Cup closing in Sydney on Sunday (August 20) night time.

The gamers started the mass strike after the Spanish soccer boss, Luis Rubiales refused to resign from his publish regardless of the uproar he prompted with the kiss, which he termed “mutual, euphoric and consensual.” He added that Hermoso had stated “OK” when he requested her if he might give her “a peck”. He additionally asserted that “she was the one who lifted me in her arms and brought me close to her body”.

In an emergency assembly known as by the federation on Friday, Luis Rubiales insists he gained’t step down. “I won’t resign,” Luis Rubiales declared 4 instances in fast succession on the assembly and claimed he was a sufferer of a witch hunt by “false feminists.”

Jenni Hermoso denies Rubiales’ declare of kiss being ‘consensual’

Spanish midfielder Jenni Hermoso, alternatively, has vehemently refuted the claims made by the federation chief that the kiss was consensual. She stated she felt “vulnerable and the victim of an assault”.

“I want to clarify that at no time did I consent to the kiss that he gave me and in no case did I seek to lift up the president,” Hermoso stated within the Futpro assertion.

“I do not tolerate my word being questioned and much less that they invent words that I did not say,” she added.

She maintained that she won’t play till strict motion is taken in opposition to the federation chief, including that she is pursuing motion in opposition to the Spanish FA president.

The controversy

On August 20, Sunday, the Spanish girls’s soccer federation chief Rubiales got here below fireplace for allegedly grabbing his crotch in celebration of Spain’s victory over England whereas standing metres away from Spain’s Queen Letizia and her teenage daughter Sofia. Rubiales then kissed Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso throughout the trophy celebration.

¿Lo de Rubiales? pic.twitter.com/H7ZaAQ0RxU

— Darío (@Youpsico) August 20, 2023
Spain outrages over the inappropriate kiss

The inappropriate kiss delivered on stage throughout the official post-match ceremony which was captured on digicam prompted an enormous outrage on social media. The response to the kiss continued to dominate Spanish headlines till right this moment.

On August 21, Monday, the interim authorities’s minister of equality, Irene Montero, stated on social media that it was “a form of sexual violence that we women suffer on a daily basis and has been invisible until now.”

“We can’t make this normal,” she added.

England’s Lionesses, who had been defeated by Spain within the World Cup closing, backed the gamers’ boycott, saying: “Unacceptable actions allowed to occur by a sexist and patriarchal organisation. Abuse is abuse and we now have all seen the reality.

“The behaviour of those that suppose they’re invincible should not be tolerated and other people shouldn’t want convincing to take motion in opposition to any type of harassment.

“We all stand with you, @jennihermoso and all players of the Spainish team.”

Following the uproar, the world gamers’ union FIFPRO known as for FIFA to intervene and examine Rubiales, echoing an announcement from the Spanish gamers’ union on twenty second August that condemned such behaviour as ‘never appropriate or acceptable’.

In its assertion issued on twenty third August, FIFPRO stated: “FifPro fully endorses the statement of Spanish player union AFE in calling for immediate action to address the conduct of Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales at the Fifa Women’s World Cup final and is requesting an investigation of his actions under Fifa’s code of ethics.”

“We reiterate that it was deeply lamentable that such a special moment for the players of the Spain national team taking place before a global television audience should be stained by the inappropriate conduct of an individual in a role carrying so much responsibility.”

“Uninitiated and uninvited physical approaches towards players are not appropriate or acceptable in any context, and especially when they are put in a position of vulnerability by a person who holds a position of power over them in their workplace.”

#FIFPRO assertion on Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales: pic.twitter.com/h9aGWfuSKx

— FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) August 23, 2023

The head of Spain’s Sports Council, additionally sought Rubiales’ removing, saying, “We want this to be a ‘Me Too’ of Spanish soccer”.

That identical day, FIFA, soccer’s world governing physique and organiser of the Women’s World Cup, opened a disciplinary case in opposition to him. FIFPRO took to X to tell about the identical.

#FIFPRO assertion on Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales: pic.twitter.com/HprUCh9VLN

— FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) August 25, 2023

Its disciplinary committee was entrusted with figuring out if Rubiales violated its code of conduct concerning “the basic rules of decent conduct” and “behaving in a way that brings the sport of football and/or FIFA into disrepute.”

Notably, the governing physique’s disciplinary judges can impose sanctions on people starting from warnings, penalties, and even suspensions from the game. FIFA gave no timetable for the ruling.