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Soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, has opened a disciplinary file against the president of the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF), Luis Rubialesafter a video showed him giving an unwanted kiss to a star player of the World Cup-winning Spain team.
“The facts may constitute violations of article 13, paragraphs 1 and 2 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code,” FIFA said. in a sentence.
Article 13 refers to infractions of the rules of the game, for example “violating the basic rules of decent conduct”.
RFEF president Rubiales is also coming under renewed pressure from two of the main Spanish organizations involved in women’s football for his behavior after the The Red’s World Cup victory.
The union that represents Spanish soccer players has asked that the president of the country’s soccer federation be punished for kissing Jennifer Hermoso on the lips after the match. team victory in the World Cupsince he promised to fight against “machismo and sexism”.
“It is essential that our team, the current world champion, is always represented by figures who project values of equality and respect in all areas,” the Association of Professional Soccer Players of Spain (FUTPRO) said in a statement. statement Wednesday.
“The union is working so that events like the ones we have seen never go unpunished, they are sanctioned and the pertinent measures are adopted to protect footballers from actions that we believe are unacceptable.”
Rubiales was filmed forcibly kissing the striker behind her team win 1-0 over England on Sunday.
Beautiful 33 who has said before She “didn’t like” the kiss and “didn’t expect it,” she also issued a statement Wednesday, saying the union and her agency TMJ would “advocate for my interests and act as spokespersons on this matter.”
FUTPRO promised in its statement to fight against “sexual harassment or abuse, machismo and sexism”.
“It is necessary to continue advancing in the fight for equality, a fight that our players have led with determination, leading us to the position we are in today,” the union said.
International Amnesty also lent their support Hermoso and her written complaints, while urging the RFEF to “take urgent measures, properly investigate the facts, focusing on protecting the player,” said the organization’s spokesman, Carlos de las Heras.
Amnesty added that if the RFEF does not do so, it will ask the Superior Sports Council (CSD) Act.
Meanwhile, the Spanish women’s soccer league, Liga F, is also issued a statement on Wednesday saying that he has filed an official complaint with the CSD and asking that Rubiales’ “unacceptable and disgusting” actions be sanctioned.
“One of the greatest achievements in the history of Spanish sport was marred by the embarrassing behavior of the highest representative of Spanish football, who once again, and driven by his continuous and usual desire for leadership, showed that he is not up to the task. the position he occupies,” the statement read.
“It’s not just about the kiss. This is an attitude so far removed from the values of our society. An attitude that is imprinted in the history of world sport and, most seriously, will always be linked to our Women’s National Team… We cannot allow this episode to suffer no consequences.
“It is time to take a step forward. The other side of the coin would be a humiliation for all women and the greatest loss of Spanish sport and of our country”.
On Monday, Rubiales admitted that he had “made a mistake” kissing Hermoso after she collected her winner’s medal.
“Surely I made a mistake, I have to admit it,” Rubiales said in a video statement. “Here we did not understand it because we saw something natural, normal and in no way, I repeat, in bad faith. But outside of the bubble, it seems to have turned into a storm and so if there are people who have been offended, I have to say I’m sorry.
However, the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, has said the apology offered for Rubiales “it was not enough.”
Rubiales has faced widespread criticism over the incident, with politicians and journalists calling his behavior “unacceptable” and “just disgusting.”
The soccer federation is expected to address the incident during an extraordinary general assembly on Friday, although it does not appear on the meeting’s agenda published by the federation.
CSD president Victor Francos has said he will take action against Rubiales if the federation does not.
The controversy comes against a backdrop of ongoing malaise between the Spanish players, coach Jorge Vilda and the soccer federation.
In September 2022, 15 members of the Spanish women’s national team sent personally signed letters to the federation by email to announce that they would no longer play for the national team, unless major changes were made to the entire coaching staff.
However, the soccer federation backed Vilda, who has been embroiled in a controversy surrounding the World Cup final. after the video came up of him appearing to inappropriately touch a female staff member during the match.
CNN has reached out to Vilda, the Royal Spanish Football Federation and the staff member for comment.