The Spanish government is moving to suspend the head of the country’s football federation following widespread criticism of his behavior during celebrations of the country’s Women’s World Cup victory last weekend.
The government’s sports council — which oversees the nation’s sports associations — said it planned to send two complaints against Luis Rubiales, the federation president, to a court of arbitration. Once the court receives the documentation for review, the council can technically suspend him with immediate effect.
At an extraordinary meeting of the federation on Friday, Rubiales repeatedly insisted that he doesn’t intend to resign over the incident, in which he grabbed Jennifer Hermoso, a star Spanish player, and kissed her on the lips.
The 46-year-old has also faced a backlash for grabbing his crotch while celebrating a goal in the director’s box during the match, where he was standing next to Spain’s Queen Letizia and one of her daughters.
The federation chief’s conduct is “completely incompatible with his role representing Spanish sports and with the values of a developed society such as Spain,” the sports council, which is chaired by the government’s secretary of state for sports, said in a statement.
The controversy comes during a period of political deadlock in Spain following an inconclusive national election on July 28. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has retained the job in a caretaker capacity as both he and conservative opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo seek ways to find enough support to win an investiture vote.
Sanchez has repeatedly characterized his government as feminist, and the premier’s three deputies are women. But the administration has also been plagued by gender rights controversies.
Notably, the government pushed through a sexual consent law sponsored by Equality Minister Irene Montero that sought to tighten punishments for sexual abuse, but had the unintended consequence of leading to the release and shortening of sentences of hundreds of convicted offenders.
The sexual consent law also become a central theme for opposition parties during the election campaign.
Montero was among the public figures who lambasted Rubiales. He mentioned her by name Friday in his speech as one of those who are engaged in what he called a “public murder.” He also said he plans to take politicians who criticize him to court.
“I am willing to be vilified to defend my ideals and to say the truth,” Rubiales said. “For god’s sake, what will a woman think that has really been sexually assaulted?”
A labor union that represents Hermoso called his actions “unacceptable,” while FIFA — the sport’s global governing body — opened disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales.
He has previously faced criticism for his handling of complaints that led a number of Spain’s women’s players to boycott the World Cup over their refusal to play for coach Jorge Vilda due to his management style.
Budget Minister Maria Jesus Montero posted a statement Friday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, saying Spain “no longer accepts sexist attitudes nor allows women to be denigrated.”
Hermoso initially said in a video posted on her Instagram feed that she “did not enjoy” the kiss. A subsequent statement sent by the federation to the news agency EFE quoted her as saying that “it was a mutual gesture, totally spontaneous because of the immense joy that winning a World Cup brings.”
Rubiales said Friday that the kiss was consensual as he had asked Hermoso’s permission and she had agreed.
“Fake feminism doesn’t seek justice or truth, doesn’t care about people,” he said, adding that he feels like a victim of “a social execution.”
--With assistance from Macarena Muñoz.
(Updates with additional Rubiales comments starting in 11th paragraph)
Author: Rodrigo Orihuela and Irene García Pérez
