Luis Rubiales, President of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), clashed with the Spanish government as he refused to step down following a controversial incident where he kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain’s World Cup victory.
The incident has ignited a clash with the government and the wider football community, which has expressed intent to address the matter through a sports tribunal.
Speaking at an RFEF emergency assembly, Rubiales voiced his discontent against what he referred to as ‘false feminists’ attempting to undermine him. He characterised the kiss as a ‘little peck’ that was ‘spontaneous, mutual, euphoric and consensual’.
In the face of growing criticism, Rubiales affirmed his determination not to resign, declaring, “Is a consensual peck going to take me out of here? I won’t resign. I will fight until the end.” His stance was met with applause from the predominantly male audience.
The Spanish government has indicated its intention to present the incident before a sports tribunal, exploring the possibility of trying Rubiales under a sexual violence law established by the Socialists in the past year. If it can be proven that the kiss was non-consensual, he could face legal consequences.
Rubiales’s statements were met with condemnation from Acting Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz, who labelled his remarks as ‘unacceptable’. She called on the government to take action and said that ‘impunity for macho actions is over’.
“What we have seen today in the Federation Assembly is unacceptable. The government must act and take urgent measures: impunity for macho actions is over. Rubiales cannot continue in office,” Diaz wrote.
Meanwhile, Rubiales contended in his address that it was Hermoso who initiated physical contact by lifting him off the ground by his hips. He claimed to have asked Hermoso for permission to give her ‘a little peck’, to which she reportedly responded, ‘Ok.’
“Jenni [Hermoso] was the one who lifted me up [to hug]. I told her to ‘forget about the [missed] penalty’ and I said to her ‘a little peck?’ and she said ‘OK’. It was a spontaneous kiss – mutual, euphoric and consensual. That’s the key,” he said at the conference.
The incident in question occurred during the World Cup final match between Spain and England, where Rubiales was seen kissing Hermoso while handing out medals to players. Additionally, he was caught on camera making an inappropriate gesture beside Queen Letizia, which he publicly apologised for.
As criticism grew, FIFA initiated disciplinary procedures against Rubiales after Hermoso’s statement highlighted the importance of addressing such actions. Despite a public apology, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez deemed it ‘not enough’, leading regional RFEF leaders to convene and discuss Rubiales’s future and potential successors.
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