(Madrid) Players of Spain’s men’s football team on Monday slammed the “unacceptable behavior” of their federation’s now-suspended boss Luis Rubiales, who surprisingly kissed a women’s player on the mouth after their victory in Madrid. World Cup.
Hailing the victory of the Spanish players at the World Cup as a “historic event”, their male counterparts “expressed their solidarity with the players, and deplored that their success had been tarnished” by the controversy which followed the behavior of Luis Rubiales during the ceremony after the final, they specified in a joint statement read to the press by Alvaro Morata.
“We wish to denounce the unacceptable behavior of Mr. Rubiales, who has failed to live up to the institution he represents,” they added.
“We are firmly on the side of the values carried by the sport. Spanish football must be a source of respect, inspiration, inclusiveness and diversity, and must set an example in its behavior both on and off the pitch,” the players continued in their statement, opposed to Georgia and Cyprus over the next few days for the qualifications for Euro-2024.
A few minutes after La Roja’s world title, on August 20 in Sydney, the boss of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Luis Rubiales surprised N.10 Jenni Hermoso on the mouth, provoking international indignation.
Pushed from all sides to resign, Luis Rubiales had announced that he would remain in office during a sensational speech in which he said that he was not going to leave “because of a little consented kiss”, and denounced a lawsuit brought by “false feminism”.
This speech on August 25 was applauded by almost the entire RFEF General Assembly, including the coaches of the women’s and men’s teams – the latter, Luis De La Fuente, later apologizing for having applauded.
The same evening, the 23 players of the female Roja, consecrated world champions on August 20, announced that they refused to be summoned for the selection as long as there would be no change at the head of the federation.
FIFA, which had opened a disciplinary investigation against Luis Rubiales, suspended him the next day for 90 days “from any football-related activity at national and international level” pending the progress of the ongoing procedures.
A procedure is also underway in Spain, with the Administrative Court for Sport, to which the government has written to demand the provisional suspension of the football boss.
