For the Spanish association president Luis Rubiales, the air is getting thinner and thinner. His family continues to fight relentlessly for him, and his mother even goes on a hunger strike.
The mother locked herself in the church for a hunger strike because of the “inhuman and bloody hunt” for her son, the cousin held a fiery defense speech in front of the assembled press: The family is fighting with all means for Luis Rubiales – and yet his days as a boss are likely by the Spanish Football Federation. The Spanish public prosecutor’s office launched a preliminary investigation against Rubiales on Monday on suspicion of “sexual assault”. In addition, the regional presidents of the RFEF called for his resignation in the evening.
According to the official statement, Jennifer Hermoso should contact the prosecutor’s office of the National Court of Justice “within 15 days” to “be informed of her rights as a victim of an alleged sexual assault offense” and “to file a complaint if necessary”.
On Monday, the sports court TAD also dealt with the kiss scandal, but did not make a decision for the time being. After an extraordinary RFEF meeting, regional bosses said that Rubiales’ behavior had “seriously damaged the image of Spanish football” and that he should resign.
Rubiales had already been temporarily banned for 90 days by the world association FIFA at the weekend, and he was also banned from contact with Hermoso. The European football union UEFA, on the other hand, did not want to comment on the offense of its vice president, but according to “SID” information it is in close contact with FIFA as the organizer of the World Cup.
Cousin: Rubiales is “lynched”
Rubiales had kissed the world champion on the mouth at the award ceremony after the World Cup triumph, triggering a worldwide storm of indignation. He refused to resign voluntarily, instead delivering a crude defense speech.
Rubiales’ mother locked herself in church with her sister in her home town of Motril and told the Spanish news agency EFE that she would not eat until justice was finally done for her son. Not far from the church, protest messages against Rubiales were sprayed with graffiti on walls.
Rubiales was being “lynched,” his cousin Demelza Bejar complained. “His family is suffering a lot with him. He was sentenced before his time. We want them to leave us alone,” his cousin Vanessa Ruiz said emotionally: “Jenni, we want you to tell the truth.” Contrary to Rubiales’ statement, she had “felt vulnerable and the victim of an assault, an impulsive, macho act that was inappropriate and that I did not consent to,” Hermoso said.
The Spanish government had asked the Sports Court (TAD) to meet on Monday and decide whether to accept the lawsuit against Rubiales. “If the TAD accepts the government’s lawsuit, we will immediately suspend the president from his duties,” Sports Minister Miquel Iceta told the daily El Pais. Penalties range from a fine to a 15-year ban.
“Century of Misogyny”
“One only has to imagine that Angela Merkel would have kissed Philipp Lahm in 2014,” said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. “All hell would have broken loose. That is simply unimaginable and says everything. Also about those who now see it as somehow want to put it down normally.” Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, among others, played down Rubiales’ action.
The head of the Norwegian association, Lise Klaveness, strongly condemned the kiss scandal. “A century of misogyny once again overshadows the joy of the game, the pride of the national team and the remarkable performances on the pitch,” the 42-year-old wrote in a statement published in Norwegian media. The incident “sheds a spotlight on harmful practices that tarnish the sport’s reputation and expose systemic problems.”
The Spanish players went on strike after Rubiales’ refusal to resign, and even the national coaches, who initially applauded Rubiales’ speech on Friday, moved away from the president of the association. The world champions experienced a lot of solidarity worldwide, and the German soccer players also sided with them. Apparently, only the family remains firmly behind Rubiales.