The president of the Spanish FA, Luis Rubiales, is maintaining that he will not quit, despite calls from the government following the scandal that began after he kissed Jenni Hermoso in the aftermath of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final, which Spain won, defeating England in Australia.
Rubiales was seen grabbing Hermoso during the medal ceremony and kissing her on the lips, an act that Hermoso has since described as non-consensual.
In a remarkable press conference last week, Rubiales, supported and applauded by several members of the Spanish FA, including the Spain coach Jorge Vilda, went on the offensive to declare that he will not be resigning as president.
Jorge Vilda has since criticised Rubiales with members of his coaching staff resigning in protest as well as all 23 of the FIFA World Cup winning squad now refusing to play for the Spanish national side whilst Rubiales remains the RFEF President.
Now, Rubiales’ mother, Angeles Bejar, has locked herself in a church in Motril and has begun a hunger strike because she believes her son is the subject of an ‘inhuman and bloody hunt’ and this is ‘something he does not deserve’.
The Spanish government has asked to suspend Rubiales from his role and the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) responded by threatening Jenni Hermoso with legal action. Since then, FIFA have ordered Rubiales and the RFEF to longer try and contact Hermoso.
Whilst this rumbles on, it has now been suggested that if FIFA uphold Rubiales’ suspension then the Spanish FA would ask UEFA to consider expelling them from the confederation due to the Spanish government’s interference. This would involve Spanish clubs being removed from European competition.
46 year-old Luis Rubiales, who was born in the Canary Islands in Las Palmas, was a professional football and played for Hamilton Academical towards the end of his playing career. He became AFE (Association of Spanish Footballers) President in 2010 and moved on to become the RFEF President in 2018.