Spanish soccer head who kissed player after World Cup is under criminal investigation
Luis Rubiales has refused calls to resign amid backlash over him kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the mouth after Spain won the World Cup.
The head of the Spanish soccer federation faces possible prosecution for kissing a star player on the lips following Spain's World Cup victory amid increasing pressure for him to resign.
FIFA has already suspended Luis Rubiales for 90 days after the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation kissed player Jenni Hermoso during the celebration of Spain's first women's World Cup title.
Rubiales' family is defending him against the backlash to the point where his mother has locked herself in a church and gone on a hunger strike, according to his cousin.
Spanish prosecutors opened a criminal investigation on Aug. 29 into whether the kiss was an act of sexual assault.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation withdrew its support of Rubiales after an emergency meeting on Monday night after having initially backed him when FIFA announced it was investigating the kiss.
The Spanish soccer federation demanded that he "immediately resign" because of “the latest events and the unacceptable behaviors that have seriously damaged the image of Spanish football," according to a news release in Spanish.
Here's what to know about the controversy.
When did the kiss happen?
The incident occurred after Spain defeated England 1-0 on Aug. 20 at Stadium Australia in Sydney to win its first women's World Cup title in history.
During the awards ceremony following the game, Rubiales was distributing gold medals to the team members when he was seen grabbing Hermoso's head with two hands and kissing her on the mouth.
What has Jenni Hermoso said about the kiss?
Hermoso was heard telling teammates afterward in the locker room she “didn’t like it” in a video posted on Instagram and YouTube by El Mundo newspaper and other media outlets.
She then initially downplayed it in a statement, saying it was a "mutual gesture that was totally spontaneous" and "a natural expression of affection and gratitude."
However, she now says she was pressured into making that statement and sees the incident completely differently.
"At no time did I consent to the kiss that he gave me," she said.
She added in a statement that she “felt vulnerable and the victim of aggression, an impulsive, sexist act which was out of place and with no consent on my behalf," according to ESPN.
Hermoso, 33, is a revered star who has the most goals in the history of Spain's national team as well as her professional team in Barcelona.
What has Luis Rubiales said about the kiss?
Rubiales initially apologized the following day, but later in the week denied that he did anything wrong.
He also told an emergency general assembly of the Spanish soccer federation that he was a victim of a hunt led by “false feminists” and that the kiss was “mutual and with consent.”
Rubiales also made it sound like Hermoso initiated the contact.
"The moment Jenni showed up, it was her who lifted me from the floor, who held my hips, my legs, I can't remember so clearly," he said at a news conference. "She lifted me up, we almost fell down, and when she put me back on the floor we hugged."
Rubiales' family has rushed to support him. His cousin, Vanesa Ruiz Béjar, spoke to a group of reporters on the street about the incident.
"His mother, who is a very religious person, has taken refuge in God and has gone on hunger strike," she said. "She does not want to leave the church. His family is suffering a lot for him. We don’t think it’s fair what is happening."
Rubiales has refused calls to resign.
What has been the fallout from the kiss?
The incident has rocked the reigning World Cup champs and sparked protests around Spain and signs of support for Hermoso across the sports world.
Spain’s sports minister has called the incident the #MeToo moment of Spanish soccer. All 23 members of the Spanish women’s team are refusing to play unless Rubiales resigns, and the entire coaching staff except for the head coach has quit in solidarity with Hermoso.
At a recent game, players for professional teams Atlético de Madrid and AC Milan unfurled a banner that read "We're with you, Jenni Hermoso" in Spanish, the BBC reported. Fans and players also wore wristbands and wrist tape with messages of support for Hermoso, a former Atlético player who was in attendance at the game.
Fans and players at other games in Spain's La Liga professional soccer league also showed signs of support for her. Men's players from Sevilla backed Hermoso with shirts reading "It's over" in reference to Rubiales ahead of their La Liga match, according to the BBC.