FIFA has temporarily suspended Spanish FA president Luiz Rubiales after a week of controversy over his conduct in the Women’s World Cup final.
The suspension of all football-related activity is reportedly effective immediately and will initially last 90 days while Rubiales is investigated by FIFA’s disciplinary committee. a statement Saturday from football’s governing body. FIFA announced the review on Thursday after Rubiales kissed star player Jennifer Hermoso on the lips while celebrating Spain’s victory and grabbed his crotch after Spain’s goal obscene actions.
The decision came a day after Spain’s women’s championship explain It will refuse to play another game while Rubiales stays on.Rubiales made a dramatic appearance on Friday saying five times He will not resign and the Spanish Football Federation backed him in a statement on Friday and threatened legal action, suggesting Hermoso lied about what had happened.
Rubiales also argued Friday that he was the victim of a public lynching and did nothing wrong because the kiss was consensual.Hermoso responded in his own way statement disputed the claims and said she was the victim of an “impulse-driven sexist”.
The Spanish government has also initiated procedures to suspend the 46-year-old official. All national associations eventually report to FIFA, which opposes government interference in national football.
Rubiales tried to use Spain’s culture war to defend himself, blaming “fake feminism” for the uproar since the Aug. 20 events, which were broadcast live around the world. He said he would take Equality Minister Erin Montero and Labor Secretary Yolanda Diaz to court over their criticism of him. All of the country’s biggest political parties have so far shunned Rubiales and asked him to leave.
political influence
The controversy comes at a time of political stalemate following Spain’s inconclusive July 28 national election.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez retained the post in a caretaker role as he and conservative opposition leader Alberto Nunez Fejo sought ways to garner enough support to win the grant vote
Since first taking power in 2018, Sanchez has repeatedly sought to paint his government as siding with women, but some of his gender and equality laws have been deeply divisive, and opposition to them has been used as a rallying cry by opposition parties. Most notably, Montero initiated a law called “Only Yes” which attempted to enact harsher sentences for sex crimes, but had the unintended consequence of modifying sentences based on the new definition of criminals were released.
Several of Spain’s biggest professional clubs issued statements criticizing Rubiales on Friday, including Europe’s most successful side Real Madrid. explain It fully supports the government’s decision to suspend him.Osasuna Athletic Club is called His behavior was ‘rude, rude and chauvinistic’ during his time at Athletic Club Announce Its chairman will resign from the FA board.
Although professional clubs make up only a small percentage of the FA, their positions matter. In Spain, as in other countries, the Football Federation is the sport’s governing body, overseeing the national team and working with regional federations, but the two top leagues are controlled by a separate club-owned entity called La Liga.
For the government, the end has come for Rubiales, Spain’s Culture and Sports Minister Mikel Eseta told El País on Saturday.
“This cannot continue. After unacceptable events, there is no way that the president or the General Assembly of the Football Association did not react.” Isetta said in the interview, but he also added that the dismissal of Rubiales The final decision depends on the decision of the legal authorities and the Football Association. Governments have limited room to act.
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