Sports

Rubiales has been suspended by FIFA for an initial period of 90 days

Published

9 months ago

August 26, 2023

Spanish Football Association (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales has been provisionally suspended from football-related activities for 90 days by FIFA after he kissed Jenni Hermoso at the World Cup final.

The Spanish Football Association’s boss came out fighting in a staggering press conference on Friday in which he vowed he would no resign in the face of criticism for kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips as Spain celebrated winning the Women’s World Cup.

Many female and male players spoke out against Rubiales due to his conduct – with men’s player Borja Iglesias even quitting the national team until Rubiales is axed from his role – now FIFA’s own disciplinary committee have acted.

The suspension, which commences today and will last for at least 90 days, has been delivered under the powers of article 51 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).

Rubiales, as part of this latest sanction, has been told he must ‘refrain, through himself or third parties, from contacting or attempting to contact the professional player of the Spanish national football team Ms. Jennifer Hermoso or her close environment.’

Likewise, the embattled Spanish FA, (RFEF), and its officials or employees, directly or through third parties, are ordered to refrain from contacting Hermoso and her inner circle.

The statement added: ‘FIFA reiterates its absolute commitment to respect the integrity of all persons and therefore condemns with the utmost vigour any behaviour to the contrary.’

It comes after the embattled Spanish FA (RFEF) threatened legal action after brazenly accusing Hermoso of ‘lies’ following her insistence that she did not consent to being kissed by president Rubiales.

In an extraordinary statement late on Friday night, the crisis-ridden organisation continued their staunch backing of Rubiales after he kissed Hermoso on the mouth following Spain’s World Cup final victory over England on Sunday.

Hermoso, 33, said through the Spanish players’ union FUTPRO that she ‘felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part’. The statement was signed by 56 players, who have refused to play until Rubiales is sacked.

It came after Rubiales had claimed he asked permission to kiss Hermoso, who was said to have responded to say he could give her ‘a little peck’.

‘I want to clarify that, as seen in the images, at no time did I consent to the kiss he gave me and of course in no case did I seek to raise the president. I do not tolerate that my word is questioned, much less that words are invented that I have not said,’ Hermoso said.

In response, the RFEF claimed Rubiales acted with ‘utmost respect’ and says that ‘lies have been spread about him’ from Hermoso’s camp.

The Spanish FA said the organisation and Rubiales ‘will demonstrate each of the lies that are spread either by someone on behalf of the player or, if applicable, by the player 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,’ they added.

The RFEF claims the ‘evidence’ was ‘conclusive’ that Rubiales, 46, had ‘not lied’. In the statement, they included a photo-by-photo rundown of the kiss incident in a desperate attempt to back up Rubiales’ claims.

The row into the kiss – and Rubiales behaviour more generally in the celebrations after the final – has taken over discourse in European football.

Rubiales claimed the kiss was ‘consensual’ in a speech on Friday.

He said: ‘It was a spontaneous kiss. Mutual, euphoric and consensual. That’s the key. A consensual ‘peck’ is enough to get me out of here?

‘Jenni was the one who lifted me up. I told her to ‘forget about the penalty [that Mary Earps saved]’ and I said to her ‘a little peck?’ and she said ‘OK’.’

Hermoso said this claim was ‘categorically false and part of the manipulative culture that he has generated.’

She continued: ‘I am sure that as the World Champions, we as a team do not deserve such a manipulative, hostile, and controlling culture.

‘These types of incidents add to a long list of situations that the players have been denouncing in recent years.

‘This incident, one in which I have been involved, is the final straw and what everyone has been able to witness on live television during the celebration also comes with attitudes like the one we saw the morning and have been part of our team’s daily life for years.’

On Friday, Rubiales launched a stunning tirade as he blamed ‘false feminism’ for a ‘social murder’ against him in a speech at a meeting where he was expected to step down.

His defiance sparked a furious response from members of the Spanish women’s team, as well as current and former players on the men’s national side.

England’s Lionesses also released a statement condemning Rubiales, saying: ‘Unacceptable actions allowed to happen by a sexist and patriarchal organisation.

‘Abuse is abuse and we have all seen the truth. The behaviour of those who think they are invincible must not be tolerated and people shouldn’t take any convincing to take action against any form of harassment.

‘We stand with you, Jenni Hermoso.’

Alexis Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, and World Cup-winning team-mates Cata Coll, Aitana Bonmati and Irene Paredes have all spoken out publicly in defence of Hermoso.

Cata Coll, Spain’s goalkeeper in the final, wrote: ‘What a pity it gives me that 23 soccer players are not the protagonists… it’s over! With you to death Jenni Hermoso’.

Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea said ‘my ears are bleeding’, while ex-Real Madrid and Spain ‘keeper Iker Casillas called the fiasco ’embarrassing’.

Rubiales earns £214,000-a-year in his role as a vice-president for European football’s governing body UEFA, a position he is able to keep even if he is eventually forced out at the helm of the Spanish FA.