Spanish FA head insists he 'won't resign' over World Cup final kiss
Luis Rubiales’ mother has locked herself in a church and is going on a hunger strike in order to end the “inhumane witch-hunt” on her son as the Spanish Football Federation (Rfef) holds an emergency meeting today.
Rubiales was suspended by Fifa for kissing Women’s World Cup winner, Jenni Hermoso, on the lips in an act the footballer says she did not consent to. Fifa banned Rubiales from all football-related activity for 90 days over his conduct and have launched an investigation into his behaviour.
Following his refusal to resign, the Spanish women’s national team signed a letter stating their intent not to play for the country until Rubiales is removed from his role and the coaching staff – excepting manager Jorge Vilda – have all walked out.
And in bizarre new developments, the Spanish FA today requested that Uefa excludes their national and club teams from all European competitions because of Spanish government intervention in the crisis. It is a request which Uefa has denied.
Follow all the latest updates from the Luis Rubiales crisis:
Luis Rubiales news - Latest developments
- Luis Rubiales’ mother locked herself in the Divina Pastora church just outside Malaga and started an “indefinite, day and night” hunger strike until “justice is served” after claiming her son was the victimn of a “inhumane witch-hunt”.
- Rubiales’ cousin Vanesa Ruiz Bejar, spoke outside the church, saying: “There’s a campaign of harassment occurring that is very unfair. Luis’ mum who is a very religious person has sought refuge in God and started a hunger strike. We are all suffering a lot because of what’s happened to Luis which doesn’t seem at all fair to us.”
- The Spanish Football Federation (Rfef) are holding an “extraordinary and urgent” meeting at 3pm (BST) to determine the next steps in regards to Rubiales but it is unclear whether anything will come from it after the federation backed Luis Rubiales’ defence last week.
- The Rfef have also contacted Uefa asking them to suspend their own organisation due to third party involvement from the Spanish government who are seeking measures to remove Rubiales as president. The request would see Spanish football teams such as Real Madrid and Barcelona unable to feature in Uefa competition.
- Uefa have rejected the request.
Mike Jones28 August 2023 14:54
The mask has slipped – Luis Rubiales is the real face of football
“Women’s football was soaring. Women felt represented. Seen. Celebrated. Supported.
“Rubiales issued a fierce denial, blaming “false feminism” and refusing to resign. His mother, meanwhile, has reportedly locked herself inside a church on hunger strike to protest her son’s “inhumane treatment”.”
Jessica Taylor shares her thoughts on the latest development in Luis Rubiales’ convtroversial week:
Mike Jones28 August 2023 14:48
“Extraordinary and urgent” meeting taking place at 3pm
The “extraordinary and urgent” meeting of the Spanish FA is set to take place at 3pm BST but it is unclear whether anything will come out of it after the federation backed Luis Rubiales’ defence last week.
They could take the time to finalise Rubiales’ exit from the federation but if reports that they have asked Uefa to investigate the Spanish government’s involvement in the Rfef are true then the Spanish FA seem more determined to blow up the foundations of Spanish football than holding Rubiales to account.
Should Uefa grant their request it would ban Spanish football from Uefa competitions meaning teams from Spain would not be able to compete in the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference Leagues among others.
Mike Jones28 August 2023 14:42
Luis Rubiales’ mother on hunger strike over ‘inhuman’ treatment of Spanish FA president
The mother of Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales is on hunger strike over the “inhuman” treatment of her son, according to reports in Spain.
Rubiales was provisionally suspended by FIFA on Saturday pending an investigation into his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney on August 20.
The 46-year-old grabbed his crotch in the stadium’s VIP area in celebration of Spain’s win over England, when he was stood metres away from Spain’s Queen Letizia and her teenage daughter.
Mike Jones28 August 2023 14:40
One week after sullying the Women's World Cup, Luis Rubiales is now a Spanish soccer outcast
One week after the president of the Spanish soccer federation kissed a player during the Women’s World Cup awards ceremony, his reputation is in tatters and he’s out of his job.
Luis Rubiales, whose leadership of Spanish soccer had already been marked by successes tinged with scandal, wrecked his career by offending millions worldwide with his conduct at the final in Sydney, Australia, when he also grabbed his crotch in a victory gesture.
“Rubiales cannot run Spanish soccer again,” Spanish minister María Jesús Montero said Sunday, a day after he was provisionally suspended by Fifa for 90 days.
“We had enough of him when he marred the great triumph of women’s soccer with his intolerable attitude.”
Mike Jones28 August 2023 14:32
Spanish FA launches ‘sexual violence protocol’ against Luis Rubiales ahead of urgent meeting
Spain’s football federation will meet urgently on Monday as its president, Luis Rubiales, faces a Fifa suspension and a storm of criticism over allegations he gave a player an unwanted kiss on the lips following Spain’s victory in the Women’s World Cup.
In addition, the Spanish federation has launched an internal investigation through its sexual violence protocol, which comes into action after a complaint is submitted.
Rubiales has steadfastly refused to resign over the incident involving player Jenni Hermoso last Sunday in Sydney, saying the kiss was consensual. Players and a string of coaches on the women’s squad are demanding his resignation, and the government also wants him to step down.
Mike Jones28 August 2023 14:24
Rfef want Uefa to investigate the Spanish government
Luis Rubiales is a vice-president of Uefa who are yet to comment on the developing situation.
However, the European football governing body is believed to have been in contact with Fifa over what disciplinary actions to take against Rubiales but as the inciting incident occured at the Women’s World Cup - a Fifa competition - it was agreed that Fifa would take charge of the situation.
They have already banned Rubiales from football related activities for three months. Given this arrangement Uefa feel it should not comment on any disciplinary matters taken by Fifa hence their ongoing silence.
Added to this is the emerging story that the Spanish Football Federation have approached Uefa with a request to suspend their own organisation.
Andreu Camps, the Secretary General of the Rfef, has apparently reported the Spanish government to the Uefa over alleged interference and want an investigation into the government’s inquest of Rubiales.
It seems unlikely that Uefa will grant their request.
Mike Jones28 August 2023 14:16
Spanish football’s ‘MeToo moment’ is a mirror for the entire game
Right up until the moment that Luis Rubiales took the microphone at the Spanish federation on Friday afternoon, senior figures in Uefa were adamant he would resign. The expectation had even stopped some prominent football officials publicly speaking out.
What followed, even for a sport like this, left many involved “speechless”. It says more than any statement, mind, that Rubiales’s “jaw-dropping political speech” – to use the words of one shocked source – probably wasn’t the most consequential moment of the day. All of this will eventually lead to real action, way beyond words or Spanish football.
Mike Jones28 August 2023 14:08
‘Extraordinary and urgent’ meeting to take place this afternoon
The Spanish Football Federation called an “extraordinary and urgent” meeting into the situation with Luis Rubiales yesterday.
Rubiales was widely expected to resign at a seperate meeting on Friday but instead made a bizarre and defiant speech, claiming he was the victim of a witch-hunt and insisted the kiss with Jenni Hermoso was consensual.
The federation’s interim president Pedro Rocha has called today’s meeting in Madrid “to evaluate the situation in which the federation finds itself” and look at “the decisions or actions to be taken.”
An internal investigation is also under way after the federation’s sexual violence protocol was activated.
Maria Dolores Martinez Madrona, the protocol’s protection delegate who is conducting the investigation, said: “we demand the utmost respect for the right to privacy and dignity of every person involved”.
Mike Jones28 August 2023 14:04
Fifa suspends Luis Rubiales and coaching staff walk out over Women’s World Cup kiss row
Fifa has suspended Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales over his conduct and the women’s national team’s coaching staff have walked out as he still refused to resign over the deepening World Cup kiss row.
Rubiales has been banned from all football-related activity for 90 days and is not allowed to contact Spanish midfielder Jenni Hermoso or those close to her.
He is currently the subject of a Fifa investigation into his behaviour after the match, when he kissed forward Hermoso on the lips and was also filmed grabbing his crotch in an aggressive celebration at the full-time whistle. He has come under increasing pressure from across sport and politics but on Friday refused to resign in a chaotic press conference.
Mike Jones28 August 2023 13:59
0 Comments