Luis Rubiales’ kiss at the World Cup prompts FIFA to take disciplinary action
Rubiales offered a sort of apology on Monday for the kiss on the podium during the post-match ceremony, saying he “made a mistake” and “if there were people who were offended, I have to say I’m sorry” after an earlier contact with him. Critics of the “idiots” gesture.
Rubiales is in an increasingly precarious position, with Spanish Football Federation meeting She is due to kick off on Friday to deal with negative anger after Spain’s thrilling 1-0 victory in the final. Officials expressed outrage, with the country’s acting prime minister calling Rubiales’ explanation and quasi-apology insufficient.
“What we saw was an unacceptable gesture. I think the apology made by Mr. Rubiales was not enough. I would say it was not enough, and Mr. Rubiales must continue to take more steps,” Sanchez said.
Yolanda Diaz, Acting Second Deputy Prime Minister, He called for Rubiales’ resignationSaying that he “harassed and assaulted Hermoso”. “Let’s not assume that giving a kiss without consent is something that ‘happens’. It is a form of sexual violence that women suffer on a daily basis.” chirp Sunday, while Nadia Tronchoni, sports editor for El País newspaper named The incident is “aggression”.
The federation, which represents footballers in Spain, on Wednesday called for disciplinary action. “It is essential that our team, the current world champions, is always represented by personalities who reflect the values of equality and respect in all areas,” the Professional Footballers’ Association (FUTPRO) said in a statement. statement. He added: “The FA is working so that actions like the ones we have seen never go unpunished, sanctions are imposed and relevant measures are adopted to protect footballers from actions we believe are unacceptable.”
In an Instagram Live video that showed the Spanish players celebrating after the match, Hermoso, the 33-year-old and the country’s all-time leading goalscorer, said she “didn’t like” the unexpected kiss and admitted she wasn’t sure how to do it. She did respond, but in a statement attributed to her and issued by the Spanish Football Federation, she described it as “a totally spontaneous mutual gesture because of the immense joy that winning the World Cup brings”.
FUTPRO on Wednesday added a statement purportedly saying, “My union FUTPRO, in coordination with my agency TMJ, takes care to defend my interests and to be the interlocutor in this matter.”
In announcing the investigation, FIFA said there was a possibility Disciplinary law Violations, citing the first two paragraphs of Article 13 which governs “aggressive behavior and a violation of the principles of fair play”.
Spain’s victory came after a turbulent preparation for the tournament, which included a dispute between the players and the national federation. In September, 15 players sent an email to the Spanish Football Federation expressing concerns about the team’s management, but Rubiales and the federation stuck with coach Jorge Vilda.
