FIFA suspended Luis Rubiales as president of Spain’s football federation on Saturday for kissing Women’s World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on the lips, while several members of Spain’s coaching staff offered to quit. The move by world football’s governing body was the latest development in a deepening row pitting Rubiales and the federation (RFEF) against Hermoso and her Spain teammates, which the players say has tarnished the glory of winning the World Cup in Australia last Sunday.
FIFA banned him and the RFEF from contacting Hermoso or those close to her. The suspension of Rubiales will last 90 days while FIFA undertake disciplinary proceedings against the 46-year-old. Later Saturday the majority of the women’s team’s coaching staff offered their resignations over Rubiales’ conduct, although controversial coach Jorge Vilda was not among them.
“In light of the unacceptable attitudes and statements made by the leader of the RFEF, (we) have made the decision to place (our) jobs at the disposition of the RFEF,” read a statement released on social media, signed by 11 federation staff members, including six first-team staff.
They added that they supported Hermoso’s version of events. Hermoso and 80 other Spain players, including the entire World Cup squad, have announced a strike in protest at Rubiales’ behaviour and said they will not play for the national team until the “leadership” changes.
The RFEF responded to FIFA’s suspension, saying Rubiales has “full confidence in the FIFA bodies” and will defend himself “so the truth prevails and his complete innocence is proven”.
The federation also said Pedro Rocha would take over as interim president during Rubiales’ suspension. Rubiales had been under intense pressure to quit but at an emergency RFEF meeting on Friday he was defiant, saying he refused to resign and claiming he was the target of a “social assassination”.
On Saturday, the federation upped the ante by threatening legal action over Hermoso’s “lies” about the kiss. Hermoso said “at no time” did she consent to the kiss following the 1-0 win in the final against England in Sydney, which Rubiales described as “mutual, euphoric and consensual”.
The RFEF responded, saying it would take “as many legal actions as necessary to defend the honour of the President of the RFEF.”
Later the federation published another statement attacking Hermoso. “Hermoso lies in all the statements she makes against the president, as we will have the opportunity to prove in due course,” it read. The RFEF said Hermoso had described the kiss as “a mere anecdote without significance” in statements to a FIFA welfare officer soon after it happened. Hermoso hit back strongly against Rubiales’ claims the kiss was consensual, saying she felt “vulnerable and the victim of an assault”.
The Spanish government had confirmed earlier they had also started a process which may allow them to suspend Rubiales from his post next week. Before the tournament 15 Spain players had taken a similar stance against the federation and coach Vilda, but many relented and three were part of the World Cup team.