FIFA has suspended Spanish Football Association (RFEF) chief, Luis Rubiales, following a legal threat made against Jenni Hermoso, a player from the Spanish women’s national team, News About Nigeria reports.
This suspension comes in the wake of the controversy surrounding Rubiales’ post-Women’s World Cup final kiss with Hermoso.
During a press conference, Rubiales adamantly refused to resign as the president of RFEF, claiming that Hermoso had willingly consented to the kiss after Spain’s victory over England.
In a contradictory statement, Hermoso, who plays for Pachuca, asserted that she did not provide consent and alleged that RFEF had pressured her into making false statements.
In response, the Spanish FA condemned Hermoso’s allegations and announced their intention to take legal action against her. However, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has now intervened, issuing a provisional suspension against Rubiales.
A statement from FIFA indicated that this suspension, effective immediately, will last for an initial period of 90 days, pending further disciplinary proceedings initiated on August 24th.
Furthermore, the FIFA statement explicitly prohibits Rubiales and RFEF from contacting Hermoso or anyone associated with her.
The RFEF had previously threatened to sue Hermoso, insisting that President Rubiales had told the truth. They vowed to refute any claims made by the player or her representatives.
This dramatic episode has triggered widespread condemnation within the footballing community, including from the England women’s national team.
In a joint statement, they decried the actions as unacceptable and called out sexism and patriarchal attitudes within football organizations.
The statement emphasized that abuse, in any form, should not be tolerated, and individuals should be held accountable for their actions.
Despite the mounting pressure, Rubiales remains steadfast in his position as RFEF president.
During an extraordinary general assembly, he repeatedly declared, “I am not resigning,” receiving applause from the audience, which included Spain’s men’s and women’s national team coaches, Luis de la Fuente and Jorge Vilda.
Rubiales also offered Vilda a four-year coaching contract during the event, despite previous protests by some members of the Spain women’s national team regarding Vilda’s coaching methods.
