Suspended Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales, who sparked international outrage for forcibly kissing player Jennifer Hermoso after Roja won the World Cup, announced his resignation on Sunday evening.
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“About my resignation, yes, I will do it, yes, because I cannot continue my work,” he said in English in an interview with English television journalist Piers Morgan.
Rubiales added that those close to him told him: “+Luis, you have to worry about your dignity and move on with your life.” Otherwise, you will hurt the people you love and the sport you love.
According to a letter signed by Rubiales and published by Spanish media, his resignation was communicated to the interim president of the federation at 9:30 p.m.
“Following FIFA’s swift suspension and the proceedings brought against me, it is obvious that I cannot regain my position,” he wrote in that letter.
“I don’t want Spanish football to suffer the damage of this disproportionate campaign,” he said again.
On August 20, minutes after the women’s Roja won the World Cup in Sydney, the 48-year-old Spanish soccer coach unexpectedly kissed Jenni Hermoso on the mouth, sparking outrage in Spain and across the country.
He refused to back down over a “little consensual kiss,” attacked alleged “fake feminism” during a raucous speech on August 25 and argued he had sought the player’s permission before kissing her.
A version disputed by Jenni Hermoso, who said she felt “vulnerable and victim (…) of an impulsive and sexist act, inappropriate and without any consent from.” [sa] go”.
Report of “sexual assault”
Rubiales has been banned by FIFA for a period of 90 days and is also at risk of being charged with “sexual assault” in the Spanish courts. Prosecutors requested his indictment on Friday after receiving a complaint from Jennifer Hermoso.
Since a recent reform of Spain’s penal code, a non-consensual kiss can be considered a sexual assault, a crime category that includes any type of sexual violence.
According to a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office, the punishment for Luis Rubiales ranges from a fine to four years in prison.
The affair plunged Spanish football into chaos amid its efforts to host the 2030 World Cup alongside Portugal and Morocco and overshadowed the women’s national team’s World Cup title.
Coach Jorge Vilda, who was criticized by his players and is close to Rubiales, was fired by the association on Tuesday and replaced by his former assistant Montse Tomé.
For his part, his men’s counterpart, Luis De la Fuente, had to ask for “pardon” last week because, like many members of the federation, he had applauded Rubiales’ speech on August 25.
As the first woman to lead the women’s team, Montse Tomé must quickly convince the 23 world champions to end their strike as the next international matches take place on September 22nd and 26th.