The unexpected gesture by Luis Rubiales at the FIFA Women’s World Cup final has attracted significant attention. His impromptu kiss shared with forward Jennifer Hermoso during the Spanish team’s medal ceremony has triggered a flurry of responses.
Initially, Rubiales issued an apology for the kiss in a lengthy video statement on Monday.
However, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez deemed this apology “insufficient,” and Second Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz added her voice to the calls for his resignation.
Allegedly, the 46-year-old has informed his colleagues of his decision and is now poised to reveal his resignation on Friday.
Spanish football analyst Guillem Balague shared the following on Twitter:
“Rubiales will resign tomorrow. He had lost the backing of the players, the government, FIFA, and even those local organisations that depend on the federation budget.”
The Spanish FA president, upon resignation, looks set to face further disciplinary actions.
Rubiales to face disciplinary action
Rubiales’ action was tainted by the statement of Jenni Hermoso, the former Barcelona star, who expressed that she “did not enjoy it.”
On Wednesday, Hermoso, through the FUTPRO union, released a communication about the incident:
“My FUTPRO union, in coordination with my TMJ agency, is taking charge of defending my interests and being the communication channel on this matter.”
As per information from the BBC, FIFA will also examine whether his conduct breaches Article 13 within its disciplinary regulations, which pertains to offensive behaviour and fair play.
“Fifa reiterates its unwavering commitment to respecting the integrity of all individuals and strongly condemns any behaviour to the contrary,” the football governing body said in a statement.
According to the disciplinary code, officials are among those who must “comply with the principles of fair play, loyalty, and integrity.”
It says disciplinary measures can be brought against anyone “violating the basic rules of decent conduct”, “insulting a natural or legal person in any way, especially by using offensive gestures, signs, or language,” or “behaving in a way that brings the sport of football and/or Fifa into disrepute.”
What sanction would be meted out to the FA president, who has consistently divided opinion, remains to be seen.
Luis Rubiales under fire
A prior article by Sports Brief highlighted the scrutiny faced by Luis Rubiales, Spain’s football federation chief, for kissing attacking midfielder Jennifer Hermoso.
Amid controversy, the 46-year-old is confronted with demands for his resignation. This comes after he embraced star player Jennifer Hermoso’s head and kissed her forcefully following Spain’s 1-0 victory over England in the final held in Australia on Sunday.