Prakhar Dobhal, Pune
After Spain won the Women’s World Cup, Luis Rubiales, 46, the football association’s president, kissed star player Jenni Hermoso on the lips, inciting outrage among players and politicians who criticised his actions as unacceptable masculine behaviour. However, Rubiales refused to resign on Aug. 25.
Rubiales controls the autonomous Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which is not subject to government control. But, according to Victor Francos, the director of the government-run sports council, it will attempt to suspend him through a legal process before a sports tribunal.
“We want all this to be a ‘Me Too’ of Spanish soccer,” Francos said. At an emergency federation meeting on Aug. 25, Rubiales was anticipated to step down; however, he insisted on keeping his post and said that “false feminists” were “trying to kill me.”
He called the kiss a “little peck” that was “spontaneous, mutual, euphoric and consensual”. “Is a consensual peck going to take me out of here? I won’t resign. I will fight until the end,” said Rubiales at the emergency RFEF meeting, reported by Reuters. The statement also reportedly received wide applause, predominantly from male audience members at the meeting.
Rubiales has come under increasing fire for his actions this week. The incident happened while the players received their medals following their 1-0 victory against England in the World Cup final on Sunday in Sydney, Australia. Rubiales grabbed Hermoso by her head and kissed her on the mouth as the players walked by.
Acting Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz called his speech on Friday “unacceptable”, writing on social media: “The government must act and take urgent measures: impunity for macho actions is over. Rubiales cannot continue in office.”
Following the scandal, Spanish television channels did not telecast full footage of the medal awards ceremony.
“This is unacceptable. It’s over. We’re with you, teammate Jenni Hermoso,” her teammate Alexia Putellas said on X after Friday’s federation meeting.