The regional presidents of the Spanish Football Association have requested that the Spanish FA President, Luis Rubiales, resign immediately.
According to SkySports, a statement from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) read: "Once the meeting of the Commission of Presidents of Regional and Territorial Federations of the RFEF has finished, the following agreements are unanimously made known to the world of football and society: After the latest events and the unacceptable behaviours that have seriously damaged the image of Spanish football, the presidents request Mr Luis Rubiales immediately present his resignation as president of the RFEF."
"We warmly congratulate the women's soccer team for their victory in the World Cup. We value the meaning and legacy of success for Spanish sport. We express our admiration and gratitude to an unrepeatable group of players and we extend our congratulations to all those who have built, over the years with determination, the growth of women's football."
BREAKING: The regional presidents of the Spanish FA have requested that Luis Rubiales resigns with immediate effect. pic.twitter.com/3prH2NyFZc
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 28, 2023
Yesterday, 28 August, it was also revealed that Spain prosecutors have opened a preliminary sex abuse case against Rubiales following his nonconsensual kiss of a Spanish football player, Jenni Hermoso, at the Women's World Cup medal ceremony last week.
The National Court's Prosecutors' Office had received six complaints and was awaiting a formal complaint from the player before initiating an investigation. Their decision was prompted by Hermoso's statement on Friday, where she expressed her vulnerability and revealed that she had experienced an impulsive, sexist act without her consent.
The announcement comes following Fifa's decision to suspend Rubiales for at least 90 days from all soccer related activities and the federation's (RFEF) threat of "corresponding legal action" against Hermoso, after accusing her of lying about the kiss occurring without her consent.
The initial incident was caught on film Sunday; Hermoso confirmed on a livestream that she "didn't like it" and hadn't been expecting it. Although at first responding that his critics were "idiots," Rubiales released a statement Monday saying, "I made a mistake...In a moment of such emotion, without any bad intention or bad faith."
"Here we saw it as something natural and normal. But on the outside it has caused a stir, because people have felt hurt by it, so I have to apologize."
The RFEF also released an apparently false statement ostensibly on behalf of Hermoso, claiming that the kiss was "no big deal" and a "mutual, totally spontaneous gesture."
After a joint statement revealing that she is coordinating with her union FUTPRO, Hermoso later reiterated that the kiss was nonconsensual.
She explained that she felt "continuous pressure to come out with a statement which could justify Luis Rubiales' actions," including the day after the incident. She stated that the RFEF had put pressure on her family, friends and teammates to provide testimony "which had little or nothing to do with my feelings."
The Spanish Football Federation has asked that Luis Rubiales resigns with immediate effect.
This comes shortly after Rubiales’ mother locked herself inside a Spanish church in protest for her son.#OptusSport pic.twitter.com/a3XPOvH3Fc— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) August 29, 2023
Rubiales was widely expected to resign after Fifa announced investigative proceedings against him Thursday, but in an emergency RFEF meeting Friday he gave a defiant speech, repeatedly saying "I will not resign," and calling the outcry against him "fake feminism" and a "witch hunt."
Fifa gave no timeline for disciplinary proceedings against Rubiales but under the suspension he should be prevented from working in soccer for the next 90 days as they continue.
Rubiales is also a vice president of UEFA, which has yet to comment.
