admin An exciting World Cup season has come to an unfortunate end in Spain this week, as Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales is refusing to resign after committing a widely viewed act of—to say the least—deeply inappropriate behavior against a member of the national women’s team. Below, find a full explainer of what Rubiales is accused of, how the player in question responded, and what kind of reaction his conduct has gotten around the world:
What did Rubiales do?
Rubiales was seen on camera forcibly kissing soccer forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips after the team’s historic win against England on Sunday, with the disturbing moment quickly going viral on social media.
How did Hermoso react?
“I didn’t like it,” Hermoso said during a livestream video from the locker room shared after the kiss, later characterizing it to media as a “natural gesture of affection and gratitude.” However, days later, Hermoso released a joint statement via her union denying Rubiales’s claim that the kiss had been consensual; this statement was co-signed by Spain’s entire World Cup squad and 58 former players, who have pledged to boycott playing until Rubiales is removed from his position. “I want to clarify, as you can see in the images, that at no time did I consent to the kiss that he gave me,” Hermoso said, adding: “I won’t tolerate that my word is called into question, and even less so that words are invented which I didn’t say.”
Will Rubiales resign?
It doesn’t seem likely, as he gave a speech on Friday blaming “false feminists” for attempting to mount a campaign of “social assassination” against him; however, he could be let go from his position anyway, as Spain’s Sports Council president and secretary of state for sport have confirmed that they are seeking to remove Rubiales by bringing a complaint to the country’s Administrative Sports Court (TAD). “Neither the CSD nor its president can remove (Rubiales). I can’t sack anybody. But we can take the case to TAD if we believe a serious offence has been committed, and TAD can approve it or not,” said Victor Francos, head of the state-run National Sports Council.
Who has spoken out against Rubiales in Hermoso’s defense?
The condemnation of Rubiales has been near-universal, with Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas and World Cup MVP Aitana Bonmatí posting messages of support for Hermoso on social media; Beatriz Álvarez, the president of Spain’s women’s league, told Spanish state broadcaster RTVE that she was not surprised because Rubiales’s “ego is above his dignity.”
