The Spanish government sought openness and immediate action from the country’s football body against President Luis Rubiales for kissing a Women’s World Cup player on the lips.
The president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has been strongly chastised for planting a kiss on the lips of Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso following her team’s victory over England in the final in Sydney on Sunday.
Rubiales, 46, originally attacked his detractors before apologizing, but his behavior has not been forgotten.
The RFEF convened an emergency meeting for Friday and launched an internal inquiry into the event on Tuesday, amid rising calls to prosecute Rubiales.
Spain’s secretary of sport and president of the country’s sports council (CSD), Victor Francos, indicated the council would take action if the RFEF did not, and that they might take the case to Spain’s Administrative Court for Sports.
“I imagine that what the responsible people will do is talk to the two parties involved and issue a report,” Francos told radio station Cadena Ser.
“I have personally told the federation this report has to be transparent and urgent, because, if it is not, obviously we are obliged to take the corresponding additional measures.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Tuesday that Rubiales’ apology for the kiss was insufficient.
“The government has said what it has said — it is an unacceptable act, more steps (are happening) and we will use our instruments to prove transparency in the process and the corresponding resolution if the time comes,” added Francos.
Rubiales has come under fire across the world and at home in Spain, with some Spanish clubs calling for him to step down.
“What Rubiales has to do is resign, his behaviour has been deplorable,” said Getafe’s president Angel Torres on Wednesday.
“He cannot continue for a minute more as president of the federation,” he added.
American forward Megan Rapinoe, the world’s highest-profile women’s player, was similarly scathing in an interview with The Atlantic on Tuesday.
“What kind of upside-down world are we in? On the biggest stage, where you should be celebrating, Jenni has to be physically assaulted by this guy,” said Rapinoe.
She referred to Rubiales’ behaviour at the final as portraying “a deep level of misogyny and sexism”.
“He has harassed and, without any doubt, assaulted a woman,” Yolanda Diaz, Second Deputy Prime Minister and leader of political party Sumar, said on Tuesday, adding that Rubiales should resign.
“The (sports council) must act so that machismo does not go unpunished,” added Diaz on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday, adding that Sumar had reported Rubiales to the body.