VAM News Update
Spanish FA president, Luis Rubiales is now facing mounting pressure after photos emerged of him lifting Spanish football player, Athenea del Castillo over his shoulder during their Women’s World Cup celebrations.
Rubiales is at the centre of the World Cup ‘kiss-gate’ scandal after kissing Spanish women’s player Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth without consent after Spain beat England 1-0 in the World Cup final on Sunday.
He has refused to resign despite being hit with a sexual assault probe as one football chief launched a criminal complaint in the wake of his actions towards Hermoso.
He eventually apologised but Hermoso rejected the chance to appear in his apology video despite him begging “My position is at stake, do it for my daughters”.
Spanish outlet El Confidencial has reported that Rubiales is also facing accusations that he took a Mexican woman on a six-day work-funded holiday to New York.
He is also alleged to have harassed and humiliated a female colleague, who claimed he asked her about the colour of her underwear and about wearing ‘knee pads’ in meetings when they worked together.
Pressure continues to mount on Rubiales after further photos emerged from Spain’s celebrations following the final whistle in the final in Sydney.
The Spanish FA chief was seen lifting and carrying the Real Madrid winger over his shoulders, increasing scrutiny over his attitude to the women’s national team stars.
The Spanish FA has confirmed it will hold an Extraordinary General Assembly on Friday at their headquarters.
The organisation has added that internal proceedings are underway over the controversy following the World Cup final ceremony.
Attacking midfielder Hermoso, who plays for CF Pachuca, admitted she ‘didn’t like’ it when Rubiales grabbed her and held her in a tight embrace before kissing her on the lips on the celebratory podium.
Rubiales also grabbed his crotch in what was described by USA legend Megan Rapinoe as a ‘signal of a deep level of misogyny and sexism’, who insisted his kiss was ‘physical assault’.
Spanish football chief Miguel Ángel Galán has filed a complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office in Madrid and the State Attorney General’s Office alleging Rubiales’ actions constituted sexual assault.
Galan, president of CENAFE – the country’s national school for football coaches – said: ‘I would like to file a complaint against Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Soccer Federation, for committing an alleged crime of sexual assault against the Spanish women’s soccer team’s Jennifer Hermoso.
‘This was an intolerable act of sexist behaviour within our sport, which could constitute an alleged crime of sexual assault. I therefore request that a complaint be filed’.
Galan had already submitted a written complaint to Spain’s National Sports Council (CSD) and the Spanish FA (RFEF) itself, with his latest actions pursuing the criminal route.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez criticised Rubiales and demanded he explain the kiss. Mail Sport’s Ian Herbert described Rubiales as ‘reptilian’ and ‘creepy’, while it emerged Rubiales reportedly begged Hermoso to shoot an apology video with him.
Rubiales is not thought to be considering resigning despite the controversy.
He said in his apology: ‘There is also something I regret and it’s over something that happened between a female player and myself who enjoy a magnificent relationship the same as I have with other women players. I’ve no doubt made a mistake and I have to admit it.
‘At a moment of maximum excitement, without any bad intention or bad faith, what happened happened in a very spontaneous manner, I repeat without bad faith on either side… it has caused a controversy in some sectors and some people appear to have been upset and therefore I have to apologise… I have to learn from this.’