Forced kiss scandal: ‘I felt vulnerable and attacked’

Spain international Jenny Hermoso said on Friday that she felt “vulnerable and a victim of aggression” when she was kissed by the president of the Spanish Football Federation, Luis Rubiales, on Sunday after the World Cup final.

• Also read: Forced kiss scandal: “I won’t give in! I won’t quit!”, Rubiales fired

• Also read: Forced kiss: Spanish football coach Luis Rubiales resigns

“I felt vulnerable and victim of an attack, a reckless and sexist act, affected and without any consent on my part,” the Spanish number 10 said in a statement posted on social media.

The forced kiss scandal continues to rock the world of Spanish football: after Friday’s refusal to resign from Luis Rubiales, president of the federation, the players have taken up the cause of Gini Hermoso and announced that they will no longer play for La Roja if the current administration is maintained.

What is already being called #MeToo in Spanish football, after the forced kiss of Luis Rubiales at the end^Oh On October 10, Jenny Hermoso, Sunday night at the medal ceremony in Sydney, had one final twist Friday night with the announcement of the women’s national team strike.

The 23 players of the Spanish national team, crowned world champions, announced, Sunday, in Australia, in a statement to the “Footpro” federation that they refused to play again with La Roja “if the current leader [étaient] Preserve it.” The federation said the text, which has already been signed by 81 players, remains open to other signatures.

In the same press release, Jenny Hermoso noted that she “at no time approved of this kiss”: “I do not tolerate anyone questioning my word, much less making up comments I did not say.”

It is enough to completely dismantle the defense of Luis Rubiales, who refused to resign his post a few hours before the extraordinary general meeting of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) near Madrid.

The former defender, who has held his position since 2018, launched a counterattack, saying that the kiss was, in his words, “mutual” and “consensual” and that he had been granted permission to do so, while criticizing the “pseudo-feminism”.

“its enough!”

On the other hand, Rubiales, a father of three daughters, asked for “forgiveness to Queen” Letizia for his gesture on the balcony of the Sydney stadium, when he grabbed his genitals, less than two meters away from her.

“What we saw today in the Federation’s General Assembly is unacceptable […]. It is the end of impunity for manly acts. Rubiales cannot remain in office,” the reaction of M^I Diaz on X (formerly Twitter), calling on the government to take “urgent action”.

Since this sensational announcement, many voices have been raised to condemn Mr. Rubiales’ position, such as the two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Potellas, the Barcelona footballer.

“This is unacceptable. Let’s get this over with. I’m with you, dear Jenny Hermoso.”

world 2030

Other Spanish players broke their silence, denouncing the “unacceptable” behavior and giving their support to Hermoso, while hashtag “#SeAcabo” (It’s Over) started popping up on the networks.

“Out of respect for soccer. That’s enough! It’s time to change that forever,” he wrote on the X Women’s Professional Soccer League.

For his part, Iker Casillas, the former Real Madrid goalkeeper and La Roja national team, spoke of “total shame” towards Rubiales, while Betis striker Borja Iglesias announced that he would no longer wear the national team shirt.

Some clubs have even expressed their anger, such as Barcelona’s Espanyol, who said it is waiting for “measures” from the federation, or even Sevilla, which considers it “not feeling represented” by the president of Spanish football and is asking for his resignation. .

Barcelona, ​​the former Hermoso club, launched a lukewarm condemnation, denouncing the “unfortunate” and unjustified facts. However, the Catalan club indicated that “Mr. Rubiales himself admitted the mistake and apologized for it.

This issue erupted with Spain’s candidacy with Portugal and Morocco to organize the 2030 Men’s World Cup, which will be awarded at the end of next year.

mega/win

Administrative Court

Mr. Rubiales was filmed while celebrating Roja’s victory over England in the World Cup final, kissing Jenny Hermoso on the mouth in surprise.

He had apologized on Monday, explaining that it was a gesture “without any bad faith”.

But the condemnations of the Spanish political class, including Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and the soccer community, including the famous American player Megan Rapinoe, grew.

The case was finally referred to FIFA, which on Thursday commenced disciplinary proceedings against Mr Rubiales.

La Liga president Javier Tebas attacked his Spanish counterpart on Friday, saying: “The list of women and men who have been abused by Luis Rubiales in recent years is very long, and it must stop.”

The Supreme Sports Council, a government body, announced that it would take the case to the Administrative Court for Sport in the coming days.

If the court finds that the kiss is considered wrong under the Professional Sports Act, the Supreme Council for Sports, a government body, can suspend Mr. Rubiales from his duties.

Kissing someone without their consent is considered sexual assault in Spain.