The president of the Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales finds himself in the midst of controversy following a post-World Cup kiss with player Jenni Hermoso, News About Nigeria reports.
As calls for his resignation intensify, his mother, Angeles Bejar, has gone on a hunger strike at a church in Motril near Malaga, demanding “justice” for her son.
Angeles Bejar expressed her determination, saying, “I will stay here as long as my body holds out. I don’t mind dying for justice because my son is a decent person and it’s not fair what they’re doing.”
She initiated the hunger strike in response to the criminal probe her son now faces for the controversial kiss.
The kiss incident occurred after Spain’s Women’s World Cup win over England in Australia a little over a week ago. The female Spanish player Hermoso has asserted that she did not give consent for the kiss, and state prosecutors in Spain have opened a preliminary investigation into the matter.
Rubiales who has been suspended for 90 days by FIFA, has faced growing pressure to resign, with all 23 players on Spain’s World Cup-winning team refusing to play international games while he remains in office.
The hunger strike has garnered attention as a dramatic move to draw attention to the controversy. Meanwhile, Rubiales has not been seen in public since refusing to resign at an extraordinary Spanish FA general assembly last Friday.
Angeles Bejar’s protest has sparked a discussion about the impact of the controversy on Rubiales and his family.
She remains inside the church, with a doctor expected to visit to check on her condition if she continues with the hunger strike.
As the controversy unfolds, the Spanish football community remains divided, with some defending Rubiales and others supporting Hermoso’s claims.
