Protesters gather in Madrid calling for Spanish football federation president to resign
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Luis Rubiales’ mother has locked herself in a church and is going on a hunger strike in order to end the “inhumane witch-hunt” on her son as the Spanish Football Federation (Rfef) held an emergency meeting on Monday.
Rubiales was suspended by Fifa for kissing Women’s World Cup winner, Jenni Hermoso, on the lips in an act the footballer says she did not consent to. Fifa banned Rubiales from all football-related activity for 90 days over his conduct and have launched an investigation into his behaviour, while Spanish police are now investigating the federation president for alleged sexual assault.
Following his refusal to resign, the Spanish women’s national team signed a letter stating their intent not to play for the country until Rubiales is removed from his role and the coaching staff – excepting manager Jorge Vilda – have all walked out. And in bizarre new developments, the Spanish FA requested that Uefa excludes their national and club teams from all European competitions because of Spanish government intervention in the crisis – a request which Uefa has denied. Now the Rfef have finally asked Rubiales to resign, with the matter seemingly coming to a head on Tuesday.
Follow all the latest updates from the Luis Rubiales crisis:
Luis Rubiales: Latest as Rfef president asked to resign
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Luis Rubiales – latest updates
The behaviour of the Spanish FA and others closing ranks around Rubiales in the early days of this process highlights the scale of challenges women face – even with apparently incontrovertible evidence in their favour, says one BBC report.
“This is exactly why many women do not come forward to report harassment or abuse,” said Teresa Parker from Women’s Aid, a charity supporting women facing abuse, to the BBC. She added that what had happened would seem to many to go “beyond gaslighting”.
“We are being asked to ignore what you can see on film, and to dismiss a woman when she says she didn’t consent. It is an outrageous situation.”
In the same report, Laura Bates, the founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, said: “What we are seeing here is powerful men closing ranks to protect one another with a deliberate and sustained campaign of gaslighting and victim-blaming on an international scale.
“The irony is that women are so often told an allegation is meaningless without evidence. But what we can see from this case is that even when the evidence is iron-clad the woman is disbelieved anyway, so we really can’t win.
“This happened on an international stage, witnessed by millions… and yet both Rubiales and the entire football institution told her she was wrong.”
Karl Matchett29 August 2023 11:30
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Spanish protesters tell Jenni Hermoso to ‘tell the truth’
Not all the protests appear to be in favour of dismissing Rubiales. El Mundo report that a small gathering outside the church where his mother is continuing her hunger strike held up banners demanding Jenni Hermoso, the player Rubiales kissed without consent, come forward with a real version of events which they clearly feel would exonorate the Rfef president. “The truth only has one way, Jenni, be honest!” and “Jenni, why don’t you tell the truth?” were read on the banners.
Protesters also “furiously attacked the government of Pedro Sánchez”, the report claims. One interviewed person in attendance suggested the government were criticising Rubiales and calling for his dismissal to “cover up other things”.
Karl Matchett29 August 2023 11:15
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Spanish FA launches ‘sexual violence protocol’ against Luis Rubiales ahead of urgent meeting
Spain’s football federation will meet urgently on Monday as its president, Luis Rubiales, faces a Fifa suspension and a storm of criticism over allegations he gave a player an unwanted kiss on the lips following Spain’s victory in the Women’s World Cup.
In addition, the Spanish federation has launched an internal investigation through its sexual violence protocol, which comes into action after a complaint is submitted.
Rubiales has steadfastly refused to resign over the incident involving player Jenni Hermoso last Sunday in Sydney, saying the kiss was consensual. Players and a string of coaches on the women’s squad are demanding his resignation, and the government also wants him to step down.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has called regional federations to an “extraordinary and urgent” meeting on Monday “to evaluate the situation in which the federation finds itself” following Rubiales’ suspension, a RFEF spokesperson said on Sunday.
“Our protocol is currently activated and in the midst of investigating the events, thus we demand the utmost respect for the right to privacy and dignity of all individuals involved,” said Maria Dolores Martinez Madrona, RFEF’s sexual violence protocol delegate, in a letter published by the federation.
Karl Matchett29 August 2023 11:00
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Luis Rubiales crisis: How Spanish FA president fell from grace
Luis Rubiales is facing renewed calls to resign as the fallout from his actions during and after the Women’s World Cup final continues.
In the moments after Spain secured their first Women’s World Cup crown, Rubiales kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent.
Footage subsequently emerged showing the 46-year-old grabbing his crotch in celebration during the win over England while stood in close proximity to Queen Letizia of Spain.
The former defender had been widely expected to step down from his role after calling a press conference on Friday 25 August, but instead attempted to justify his behaviour, describing the outcry after the final as “a social assassination”.
Here is a timeline of the Spanish FA president’s fall from grace:
Karl Matchett29 August 2023 10:45
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Luis Rubiales’ mother continues hunger strike locked inside church
The mother of suspended Spanish football president Luis Rubiales remains locked inside a church on hunger strike in protest against her son’s treatment after he kissed Spain forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips at the World Cup final.
“I will remain here for as long as my body can,” Angeles Bejar messaged a Spanish TV station from inside the church in Motril, southern Spain. “I am willing to die for justice because my son is a decent person and it is not fair what they’re doing.”
Bejar is holed up inside the parish church of Divina Pastora in the family’s home town, alongside her sister. Speaking outside the church on Monday, Rubiales’ cousin Vanessa Ruiz described Bejar as a “woman of great faith who has sought refuge in God”, and said the family wanted Hermoso to “tell the truth” that the kiss was not forced.
Karl Matchett29 August 2023 10:30
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Uefa rejects Spanish expulsion plea as Luis Rubiales crisis takes bizarre new twist
Yesterday’s developments in the Luis Rubiales controversy took a dramatic and strange twist as key figures from within the Spanish FA asked for its own teams to be expelled from Uefa competition.
Miguel Delaney has the details:
The request to the European body that is being seen as the most significant, given it sums up how surreal the story has become.
With Rubiales facing a series of official complaints and a government process that could yet see him banned from sport in Spain for two to 15 years – to go with his current 90-day suspension from Fifa – the federation sent a request to Uefa to be expelled for breaking Uefa’s own statutes on state interference. Expulsion would see clubs including Real Madrid and Barcelona kicked out of European competitions such as the Champions League.
The move has been interpreted as “bluster” and “brinkmanship” by the federation in order to support Rubiales, but it would still involve all of Spain’s club and national teams being removed from competition, depriving them of income and – in the words of one party – “setting Spanish football back years”.
Karl Matchett29 August 2023 10:15
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Protesters gather in Madrid calling for Spanish football federation president to resign
Hundreds of people waving women’s rights placards gathered in the centre of Madrid on Monday 28 August to protest against the Spanish football federation’s president Luis Rubiales.
Rubiales was provisionally suspended by Fifa on Saturday 26 August, pending an investigation into his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney on 20 August.
The 46-year-old grabbed his crotch in the VIP area of the stadium in celebration of Spain’s win over England, before kissing midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the trophy and medals presentation.
His mother is on hunger strike over the “inhuman” treatment of her son, according to reports in Spain.
Watch the video of the protest here:
Hundreds of protesters gather in Madrid calling for Spanish football chief to resign
Hundreds of people waving women’s rights placards gathered in the centre of Madrid on Monday 28 August to protest against the Spanish football federation’s president Luis Rubiales. Rubiales was provisionally suspended by Fifa on Saturday 26 August, pending an investigation into his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final in Sydney on 20 August. The 46-year-old grabbed his crotch in the VIP area of the stadium in celebration of Spain’s win over England, before kissing midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the trophy and medals presentation. His mother is on hunger strike over the “inhuman” treatment of her son, according to reports in Spain.
Karl Matchett29 August 2023 10:09
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Luis Rubiales – latest updates
Just a few days after giving Luis Rubiales their full backing, the Spanish football authorities have made an about-turn.
Leading officials within the Spanish Football Federation asked suspended president Luis Rubiales to resign on Monday for kissing a player on the lips at the Women’s World Cup final.
The heads of the regional bodies that make up the federation (RFEF) made the request in a collective statement.
“After the latest developments and the unacceptable behavior that has caused great damage to the image of Spanish soccer, the presidents request that Luis Rubiales resign immediately as president of the RFEF,” the statement said.
Karl Matchett29 August 2023 10:03
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Luis Rubiales – latest updates
Luis Rubiales and the Spanish football federation (Rfef) remain under intense pressure and scrutiny following the president’s kiss on Jenni Hermoso following the Fifa Women’s World Cup final win.
Follow the Independent’s live blog as we bring you the latest updates regarding his refusal to resign, his mother’s hunger strike, police involvement, Uefa and Fifa statements and more.
Karl Matchett29 August 2023 09:55
