The chief of Spain’s soccer federation marred the nation’s Women’s World Cup victory after kissing a participant on the lips throughout the medal ceremony, drawing criticism for inappropriate conduct in a sport that has struggled to beat sexism.
The Spanish authorities and the world gamers’ union condemned the behaviour of Luis Rubiales on Monday, a day after Spain’s 1-0 win over England. The soccer federation led by Rubiales sought to downplay the incident via a press release it attributed to the participant he kissed, then later launched a video by which Rubiales apologised.
Immediately after Spain’s victory, Rubiales grabbed his crotch in a victory gesture — seemingly oblivious to 16-year-old Princess Infanta Sofía standing close by.
He later kissed participant Jenni Hermoso on the lips throughout the medal and trophy ceremony on the sector, drawing undesirable consideration away from the celebration and souring the nation’s largest day for ladies’s soccer.
The kiss was surprising given the game’s long-standing allegations of sexual misconduct by male soccer presidents and coaches towards feminine gamers on nationwide groups. Two of the 32 World Cup groups, Haiti and Zambia, needed to take care of the difficulty whereas qualifying for the event co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
Spain’s appearing minister for sports activities and tradition Miquel Iceta informed public broadcaster RNE “it is unacceptable to kiss a player on the lips to congratulate her.”
The world gamers’ union referred to as the kiss “deeply lamentable.”
On Sunday, Spain’s authorities equality minister had a fair stronger response.
“It is a form of sexual violence that women suffer on a daily basis, and which has been invisible so far, and which we should not normalize,” Irene Montero stated wrote Sunday on X, the social media platform previously generally known as Twitter.
The Spanish soccer federation launched a press release late Sunday, attributed to Hermoso, to attempt to settle the controversy.
“It was a totally spontaneous mutual gesture due to the immense joy of winning a World Cup,” Hermoso stated within the federation’s assertion.
“The president and I have a great relationship, his behavior with all of us has been excellent and it was a natural gesture of affection and gratitude.”
But on Monday the federation launched a video assertion of Rubiales apologizing and acknowledging he “surely made a mistake” however in “a moment of maximum effusiveness.”
“When you are president of an institution as important as the federation, you have to be more careful,” Rubiales stated within the video.
Rubiales, 45, led the world gamers’ union’s Spanish affiliate for eight years earlier than being elected to steer the nationwide soccer federation in 2018. The Spanish squad was in near-mutiny final yr due to some gamers’ complaints concerning the tradition beneath coach Jorge Vilda.
After the sport, when Hermoso handed alongside the road of soccer dignitaries to gather her medal, Rubiales put his arms to her head and kissed her on the lips. He additionally hugged a number of different gamers and put his arm round Queen Letizia of Spain.
In an Instagram video within the dressing room after the incident, the gamers screamed and laughed whereas watching the kiss being replayed on a telephone.
Hermoso will be seen laughing and shouting, “But I didn’t like it!” Asked by different gamers what she was doing, she shouted, “Look at me, look at me,” intimating she could not do a lot about it.
FIFPRO, the Netherlands-based gamers’ union, took a harsh view of Rubiales’ actions.
“It is deeply lamentable that such a special moment for the players of the Spain national team that was taking place before a global television audience should be stained by the inappropriate conduct of an individual in a role carrying so much responsibility,” the union stated in a press release.
“Uninitiated and uninvited physical gestures towards players are not appropriate or acceptable in any context. This is especially true when players are put in a position of vulnerability because a physical approach or gesture is initiated by a person who holds power over them.”
Rubiales is also a UEFA vice chairman and was the European soccer physique’s most senior elected consultant on the closing in Australia.
Video clips filmed after the ultimate whistle of Sunday’s match present Rubiales celebrating the victory within the entrance row of an unique part close to the queen of Spain and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Rubiales jumped with each arms within the air, pointing with each index fingers towards the sector, then briefly grabbed his crotch along with his proper hand.
The former participant has a key function in wooing soccer officers over the following yr whereas attempting to safe internet hosting rights for the boys’s World Cup in 2030. Spain leads a joint bid with Portugal, Morocco and, at present, Ukraine for the 48-team event and is favoured to win subsequent yr’s resolution.
UEFA and FIFA didn’t instantly reply Monday to requests for remark about Rubiales’s conduct.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
