The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has scheduled an emergency meeting for Friday in the wake of RFEF President Luis
Rubiales being urged to resign this week over "incidents that took place after Spain’s Women’s World Cup win." Rubiales has "drawn widespread criticism for his actions," with the official kissing F
Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the presentation ceremony and "grabbing his crotch in celebration shortly after the final whistle." LaLiga side Getafe President
Angel Torres on Wednesday "called for Rubiales to quit," saying, "He has to resign. The CSD (Spain’s High Council for Sports) has to open proceedings now." FIFPRO released a statement on Wednesday "calling for immediate action to be taken." One RFEF source, "speaking on condition of anonymity," said that Rubiales, "while regretful, has no intention of stepping down." The source claimed that the 46-year-old "is understood to feel confident in his position despite the backlash and that RFEF officials are set to reiterate their backing for him on Friday" (
THE ATHLETIC, 8/23).
Tamara Ramos, a former colleague of Rubiales at the Spanish Players' Association (AFE) who left the company after "a legal battle with Rubiales," this week accused him of mistreating her in comments to Spanish networkk Telecinco, saying, "I have suffered humiliations, physical blows [to the furniture], words that I cannot repeat due to the time we are in ... It was an atrocity for a long time. I am not at all surprised by what is happening" (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 8/23). The RFEF responded to Ramos' allegations, saying in a statement that it "laments and denounces the very serious and FALSE accusations by Tamara Ramos, the former colleague of Luis Rubiales. ... In addition, immediate legal measures have been taken ... following allegations of this magnitude which are so defamatory that the only thing they want is to damage the image of Luis Rubiales, taking advantage of the current media stream" (RFEF).
Sunday's incident has "generated outrage within and outside Spain." Rubiales reportedly "begged Hermoso to appear with him as he made his apology," saying, "My position is at stake, do it for my daughters. I need you to appear with me." But Hermoso refused the request. On Wednesday, Victor Francos, president of Spain's CSD, said that the council "would take action if the Spanish Football Federation did not" (LONDON TIMES, 8/23).
The Athletic's Dermot Corrigan detailed previous controversies during Rubiales' tenure as RFEF president under the headline, "Controversy and condemnation after World Cup kiss -- Luis Rubiales is no stranger to either." Corrigan wrote that Rubiales "might have expected he could just brush off" kissing Hermoso, but some 24 hours later, he had realized he "could not just brazen out the controversy and criticism, as he has so often done" as RFEF president the last five years (THE ATHLETIC, 8/23).
