Luis Rubiales resigned as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) last night after FIFA suspended him from his duties following the non-consensual kiss on Jenni Hermoso during celebrations for the World Cup won by the Spanish women’s team in Australia last year . 20th of August. At 9:54 p.m., Rubiales released a statement on “I also informed him that I have done the same with my position at UEFA so that my position as Vice President can be replaced.”
It was the end of his resistance three weeks after kissing the team’s striker. The latest chapter of 21 days in which he tried to get the footballer to appear with him in a video led the association to transmit unconfirmed statements from Hermoso, putting pressure on them to support him and assuring that that the kiss was consensual. But last Tuesday she appeared at the state prosecutor’s office and reported him for a non-consensual act. This was in addition to the various institutional and political constraints that were activated over this period. And yesterday Rubiales abandoned his intention to return to office.
“Following the swift suspension by FIFA and the other proceedings brought against me, it is obvious that I cannot return to my position. Insisting on this and sticking to it will not bring anything positive, neither for the association nor for Spanish football. Among other things, because there are de facto powers that will prevent my return,” he writes in the statement.
View Luis Rubiales’ full statement. If you cannot see the image properly, please download the PDF document here.
He had previously explained some details of the process that ultimately led to this decision. Rubiales was in London yesterday to give an interview to journalist Piers Morgan, to whom he announced his intention to resign, before notifying Rocha and releasing the statement: “My father, my daughters… I have spoken to them.” You know that it’s not my problem. And some friends who told me: “Luis, now you have to focus on your dignity and move on with your life.” If not, you will probably hurt people you love and the sport you love. If someone doesn’t just think about themselves… Because I’ve had to endure a lot in these three weeks, but it’s not just my business… and then an attitude of mine can also influence very important third parties, namely “In this situation “It’s the smartest and best thing I can do,” he says in a preview video of the interview, which Morgan released at 9:42 p.m., before Rubiales’ own statement.
In his text published in Now there is something that is firmly on my mind. I believe in the truth and will do everything in my power to enforce it. “My daughters, my family and the people who love me have suffered from the effects of excessive persecution and from many untruths, but it is also true that on the streets the truth is winning more and more every day,” he says.
His resignation opens several options for the future of the institution, according to association sources: The board can decide that a board of directors will take office until January and then elections will be called, or that the elections will take place now and the president will be in office until January after the Olympics next summer and then there will be a new election process.
Sumar leader and acting Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz has responded to Rubiales’ resignation, assuring that Spain is a feminist country that is “moving faster and faster.” “Changing and improving our lives is inevitable. We are with you, Jenni, and with all women,” Díaz added in a message on the social network X after hearing the news. Sumar spokeswoman Marta Lois also emphasized that the majority of society, women and fourth-wave feminism are “very far from behavior like Rubiales’.” “It was a cry to put an end to it. “We are on the side of Jenni Hermoso, on women and sport without machismo,” he emphasized on the same social network.
For his part, the acting Minister of Culture and Sports, Miquel Iceta, has seized on the news by sharing a link from a media outlet with this information. In addition, the acting Minister of Social Rights and the 2030 Agenda and Secretary General of Podemos, Ione Belarra, limited himself to writing: “It is over”, the same message that the acting Minister of Equality Irene Montero spread; and the Secretary of State for Equality, Ángela Rodríguez Pam, in capital letters.
You can follow EL PAÍS Deportes on Facebook and Twitteror sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.