Spain world champions refuse to play while Luis Rubiales is RFEF president as kissing row rages on

Rubiales has refused to step down after kissing striker Jenni Hermoso – who stressed she didn’t agree – after Spain won the World Cup final in Sydney last Sunday, claiming it was “spontaneous, mutual, euphoric and consensual”.

The Spanish government will be pushing for Rubiales’ suspension, but 81 players – including all members of the winning squad – have taken matters into their own hands and have effectively gone on strike while the ‘current leaders’ remain in office.

“In light of this morning’s events and given the confusion over the President’s speech … the senior players, the youngest world champions, in support of Jennifer Hermoso, wish to express their firm and clear condemnation of the behavior.” That has the dignity injured the woman,” said a joint statement from the players’ union Futpro.

“Following the comments made by the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Jennifer Hermoso would like to flatly deny that she agreed to the kiss Luis Rubiales gave her in the World Cup final.”

“Following everything that happened during the Women’s World Cup medal ceremony, we would like to declare that all players who sign this letter will not return to a national team call-up if the current leaders continue.”

On Thursday, FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales, who also trembled in celebration of the World Cup final despite being just meters from Spain’s Queen Letizia and her teenage daughter in the stadium’s VIP area.

Rubiales apologized for his behavior in the VIP area but insisted in his speech on Friday that he had been the target of a “social assassination,” repeatedly and forcefully declaring “I will not resign,” words used at the Extraordinary Assembly elicited applause from the assembled delegates General Assembly of the Spanish Federation.

This has angered many, not the least of which is Hermoso, who previously claimed that comments attributed to her by the RFEF were false, saying in the statement: “I want to clarify that, as can be seen in the images, at no point did I agreed to the kiss.” he gave me.

“I will not allow my words to be questioned, let alone made up words that I did not say.”

Victor Francos, chairman of the state’s National Sports Council, said the government wants to make this case the “Me Too” of Spanish football, referring to the movement to expose and prevent sexual violence against women.

“Mr Rubiales said he would not resign. “We want to convey one thing with all the institutional respect that the President of the RFEF deserves,” he said.

“The government is starting the procedures today for Mr Rubiales to have to make statements before the Administrative Court of Sport (TAD) and if there is one

When we are ready, we will suspend Mr Rubiales from his functions.

“Today we will file a complaint with the TAD. The complaint will be received this afternoon and we are moving for an extraordinary court session to be held next Monday.

“We want this to be the ‘Me Too’ of Spanish football and for it to mean a change. I apologize to the players because they didn’t earn this week. Hopefully we can party again when this storm is over.”

World players’ union FIFPRO said it had written to UEFA asking them to start a disciplinary procedure.

“Any lack of response from the authorities to Mr Rubiales’ behavior would send a totally unacceptable and damaging signal to the football industry and society in general,” it said in a statement.

The European Football Association has not yet commented on the Rubiales case.

However, the players have escalated things themselves.

“Our union would like to emphasize that no woman should feel the need to react to the haunting images that everyone has seen and that of course she should not engage in non-consensual attitudes,” they added in their statement.

“The players of the Spanish national football team, reigning world champions, expect strong responses from the public authorities so that such acts do not go unpunished.”

“We want to end this statement by calling for real structural changes that will help the national team continue to grow in order to pass on this great success to later generations.”

“It fills us with sadness that such an unacceptable event undoes the greatest sporting achievement of Spanish women’s football.”