Fifa suspends the president of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales – Liberation

2023-08-26 14:32:04

2023 Women’s Football World Cup dossierThe international body suspended this Saturday, August 26 for three months the man accused of having forcibly kissed Jenni Hermoso after the World Cup final, “pending disciplinary proceedings”.

It is finally Fifa who whistles the end of the ignominy of the leaders of Spanish football. The International Federation decided this Saturday August 26 to suspend the president of the Iberian federation, Luis Rubiales, for his forced kiss on the player Jenni Hermoso in the final of the World. Fifa has suspended Rubiales “from all football-related activities at national and international level” for a period of 90 days, “pending the disciplinary procedure opened on Thursday August 24”.

Fifa specifies that Rubiales and members of the federation are prohibited from contacting Jenni Hermoso and her relatives. They are believed to have put pressure on the player and her entourage at the start of the case to obtain their support.

Earlier in the day, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) had called “lies” the accusations made by player Jenni Hermoso against its president Rubiales, who refused to resign on Friday.

“The RFEF and the President [Luis Rubiales] will prove every lie posted by anyone on behalf of the player, or, if so, by the player herself,” the court said. The federation also indicated that it was going to “initiate legal proceedings” to defend the version of its president who refused to resign on Friday August 25, and who considers that this gesture was “consented”.

The 33-year-old Spanish international assured Friday evening that she felt “vulnerable and victim of aggression” when she was kissed by Rubiales on Sunday during the World Cup medal ceremony, after claiming that this kiss “was not consensual”.

“False feminism”

But in its response on Saturday, the federation attacks the arguments of the player who claims to have “in no way sought to raise the president”. The RFEF accompanies its argument with four photos to show that, according to it, “the feet of the president are ostensibly raised from the ground by the action of the player” which precedes the kiss.

The federation also responded to the 23 players of the national team, who announced on Friday that they refused to play in the selection “if the current leaders [étaient] maintained”. In its press release, the RFEF recalls that “participation in the selection is an obligation for all people (members of the federation) if they are called by it”. The text, already signed by 81 players, remains open to other signatures, according to the Futpro union.

In their wake, on Saturday, 11 members of the technical staff of the Spanish women’s selections announced that they would resign from their functions and expressed “their firm and categorical condemnation of the behavior of Luis Rubiales with regard to Jennifer Hermoso”. Six of them were part of the coaching staff of the world champion A team. These include Montse Tomé, Jorge Vilda’s assistant, U19-U20 coach (under 19/20) Sonia Bermudez Tribano, and the analyst and physiotherapist for team A.

Disciplinary procedure

Against all expectations and despite the pressure exerted as far as the Spanish Prime Minister, the boss of Iberian football had refused to resign from his post on Friday before the extraordinary general assembly of his federation gathered near Madrid. In office since 2018, the former defender launched a counter-attack, castigating “false feminism” as well as an “attempt at social assassination” against him. A speech copiously (and shamefully) applauded by an audience of oils.

The day was then punctuated by numerous reactions indignant at the lack of questioning of the man. Many national team footballers, like FC Barcelona player Alexia Putellas, double Ballon d’Or, came out of silence in the afternoon to show their support for their teammate and denounce the behavior ” intolerable” of their president. Several players from the men’s national team also stepped up, and the hashtag #SeAcabo (“it’s over”), using the words used by several players, began to emerge on the networks. This Saturday, it is the turn of Luis de la Fuente, coach of the Spanish men’s team, to condemn “unreservedly” the “inappropriate and inappropriate behavior of the president of REF”, hoping that “the competent bodies will take the necessary decisions as soon as possible”.

This affair, already dubbed the “#MeToo of Spanish football”, splashes the image of Spanish sport, while the country is a candidate for the organization of the Men’s World Cup in 2030 with Portugal and Morocco, whose attribution is planned at the end of next year.

For its part, the Spanish Ministry of Sports relies on the Administrative Court for Sport (TAD), able to judge whether the facts alleged against Luis Rubiales violate the laws of sport. “If the TAD accepts the government’s complaint, we will immediately proceed with the suspension of the functions of president of the federation”, warned the minister. Especially since the Higher Sports Council, the competent government body, has also requested the “provisional suspension” of Rubiales from the TAD for a “very serious” offense.

Finally, on the criminal level, the boss of Spanish football is the subject of four complaints of sexual assault received Friday by the Spanish prosecutor’s office, but none comes from the player for the moment.

Update: at 6:23 p.m., with details on the sporting and criminal proceedings, the reaction of Luis de la Fuente, and the resignation of members of the management.