FIFA Suspends Spanish Football Chief Rubiales After Kissing Hermoso

FIFA suspended Luis Rubiales as president of Spain’s football federation on Saturday for kissing Spanish Women’s World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on the lips. He was further banned from making contact with her.

“(We) decided today to provisionally suspend Mr. Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level,” the football governing body said in a statement issued.

FIFA’s suspension of Spanish federation (RFEF) president Rubiales will last 90 days, while they undertake disciplinary proceedings against him.

They further stated that both Rubiales and the RFEF are prohibited from contacting Hermoso and those close to her.

Hermoso said in a statement on Friday that Rubiales and the federation put “continuous pressure” on her and her family and friends to make her appear alongside Rubiales in a video in which he apologized for his kiss, but she refused.

Rubiales refused to resign at an emergency RFEF meeting on Friday and on Saturday, the federation threatened to take legal action over Hermoso’s “lies” about the kiss.

Hermoso added that at no time did she consent to the kiss following the 1-0 win against England in Sydney, which Rubiales described as “mutual, euphoric and consensual”.

The RFEF responded, saying they would “demonstrate each of the lies that have been spread, whether in the name of the player, if that is the case, or by the player herself” as it would take “as many legal actions as necessary to defend the honour of the President of the RFEF.”

Hermoso, along with 80 other Spain players, including the entire World Cup winning squad, said they were going on strike and would not play for the national team until the “leadership” changed.

That was a reaction to Rubiales refusing to resign despite unprecedented criticism. He claims he is the target of a “social assassination”.

Hermoso however hit back strongly against his claims the kiss was consensual, saying she felt “vulnerable and the victim of an assault”.

“I want to clarify that at no time did I consent to the kiss that he gave me and in no case did I seek to lift up the president,” she said in the statement issued through her Futpro union.

The Spanish government confirmed earlier Saturday they had also began a process which may allow them to suspend Rubiales from his post next week.