The mother of Luis Rubiales, the chief of the Spanish football federation, has taken refuge in a church and declared a hunger strike to express her dissatisfaction with his "cruel treatment" in response to his unexpected kiss on Jenni Hermoso. Despite being suspended by FIFA for the incident that occurred after Spain's 1-0 victory over England in the Women's World Cup final, Rubiales has chosen not to resign from his position.
Despite widespread expectations of his resignation at a meeting on Friday, he surprised everyone by delivering a defiant speech, asserting that he was being targeted unfairly by "false feminists." In response to the situation, the Spanish football federation has scheduled an "extraordinary and urgent" meeting on Monday.
Rubiales' mother has now taken action, stating that her strike will continue "until a resolution is reached regarding the cruel and unjust persecution against my son, which he does not deserve." She remains inside the parish church of Divina Pastora in Rubiales' hometown of Motril, southern Spain, along with her sister, after the departure of the parish priest, as reported by EFE.
Hermoso was asked by her to speak the truth and "adhere to the initial version" given, as stated by EFE.
Bejar, while questioning the motives behind the story, stated that there is no sexual abuse as both parties consented, as evidenced by the images.
Bejar claimed that her son is unable to harm anyone, while Rubiales, 46, has remained defiant about the kiss. The kiss has been criticized as non-consensual by Hermoso, her teammates, and the Spanish government. However, Rubiales argues that the kiss was consensual.
At the federation meeting on Friday, where it was widely anticipated that he would resign, Rubiales surprised everyone by choosing not to step down. Instead, he defended his actions and referred to the kiss as "spontaneous, mutual, euphoric, and consensual." In response, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has released a statement asserting that Rubiales will legally defend himself in the appropriate forums to establish his innocence.
Hermoso expressed that she had not given consent to the kiss and described feeling "vulnerable and as the victim of an act of aggression."
The topic of gender issues has gained significant attention in Spain in recent times. Large numbers of women have actively participated in street marches to protest against sexual abuse and violence. Additionally, the coalition government led by the Socialist party has implemented legal reforms pertaining to equal pay and abortion rights.
Spain boss Vilda condemns Rubiales behaviour
The fallout from the incident persisted into Saturday afternoon when the coaching staff of the Spain women's team collectively resigned, except for head coach Vilda.Nevertheless, Spain's triumphant World Cup coach has finally spoken up regarding the events and condemned suspended Rubiales, labeling the kiss as "inappropriate and unacceptable".
Vilda expressed his disappointment regarding the aftermath of Spain's historic win in the Women's World Cup. The events that unfolded following the victory have created unnecessary turmoil, overshadowing the well-deserved triumph of the players and the country. Vilda specifically mentioned his regret over the inappropriate actions of the former president, Luis Rubiales, which Rubiales himself has acknowledged.
The fact is unquestionable that this is completely unacceptable and fails to align with the principles and values I uphold in my personal life, as well as in the broader realm of sports, especially in football.
It is evident that an utterly undesirable atmosphere has been created, deviating drastically from what was intended to be a momentous celebration of Spanish sports and women's sports.
As the coach and sports director of the women's national team, my primary goal has always been to achieve sporting success. However, I am equally dedicated to fostering initiatives that promote inclusion, respect, and equity.
I wholeheartedly reaffirm my unwavering commitment to advancing a sports culture that serves as a shining example of equality and respect within our society.
Montse Tome, Javier Lerga, and Eugenio Gonzalo Martin, assistant managers of Spain, have chosen to step down from their roles. Blanca Romero Moraleda, the physiotherapist, and Carlos Sanchez, the goalkeeper coach, along with a few others across various age-group levels, have also submitted their resignations.
The coaches issued a statement strongly condemning the behavior of the president of the Spanish Football Federation. They emphasized that his account does not align with the true sentiments expressed by Jenni Hermoso, who clearly stated that she felt like a "victim of aggression."
The technical team backs player Jennifer Hermoso, supporting the version she has provided.
Due to the inappropriate attitudes and statements made by the top leader of the RFEF, the undersigned have decided to resign from their positions.
Rubiales refusing to resign
Rubiales has declined to step down from his position while the RFEF declared its intention to initiate legal action regarding the remarks made by Hermoso on Friday.On Saturday morning, FIFA, which had initiated disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales on Thursday, issued a statement announcing that the 46-year-old official was prohibited "from engaging in any football-related activities at both the national and international level" for an initial period of 90 days.
Jorge Ivan Palacio, the chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee, has instructed Rubiales and the RFEF to cease any form of communication with Hermoso, whether it be direct or through intermediaries.
Hermoso has alleged that the RFEF maintains a "manipulative, hostile, and controlling culture," with a total of 81 players expressing their refusal to be called up for national team duties as long as Rubiales remains in charge.
Rubiales, despite being only a few meters away from Spain's Queen Letizia and her teenage daughter in the VIP area of the stadium, celebrated by grabbing his crotch. He later apologized for his behavior in the VIP area, but during his speech on Friday, he maintained that he had been the victim of a "social assassination." He emphatically declared, "I will not resign," which garnered applause from the delegates present at the RFEF's extraordinary general assembly.
Rubiales asserted that the incident was "spontaneous, mutual, euphoric, and consensual." However, Hermoso, who previously refuted the federation's claims downplaying her comments about the incident, retaliated by launching a full-scale attack on the organization.
In a statement on Twitter on Friday, she stated, "While it is not for me to assess communication and integrity practices, I firmly believe that as the world champion national team, we are not deserving of a manipulative, hostile, and controlling culture."
I want to assert my initial stance, as I believe it is unnecessary for me to support the person who acted against my will, showing no respect for me, especially during a significant moment for me and for women's sport.
According to a statement from Futpro, the players' union representing Hermoso, she clarified that she had no intention of supporting the president or raising him in any way.
The RFEF announced that they have examined four images of Hermoso and Rubiales embracing and stated that the images demonstrate that it was Hermoso who lifted Rubiales. They further stated that they will take appropriate legal actions to defend the president's honorability.
The union's note states that it represents Jennifer Hermoso and includes statements attributed to her in quotation marks, suggesting that she made those remarks. The RFEF wants to inform the public that they have made several unsuccessful attempts to reach Jennifer Hermoso regarding the complaints filed with the Federation.
The RFEF and the President will expose the falsehoods propagated either by someone acting on behalf of the player or, if applicable, by the player themselves.
Considering the gravity of the statements made in the press release by the Futpro Union, the RFEF and the President will commence the necessary legal proceedings.