Spain’s Women’s World Cup winning star, Jenni Hermoso has called for the Spanish FA to take action against its president Luis Rubiales after he kissed her during the trophy presentation.
Rubiales is facing mounting pressure over his position after kissing Hermoso on the mouth without her consent after Sunday’s final against England.
He has refused to resign despite being hit with a sexual assault probe as one football chief launched a criminal complaint in the wake of his actions.
He eventually apologised but Hermoso rejected the chance to appear in his apology video despite him begging ‘My position is at stake, do it for my daughters’.
The attacking midfielder, who plays for CF Pachuca, admitted she ‘didn’t like’ it when Rubiales grabbed her and held her in a tight embrace before kissing her on the lips on the celebratory podium.
Hermoso has now released a statement through FUTPRO, the Spanish players’ union, confirming she is pushing for action to be taken against Rubiales.
‘My union FUTPRO, in coordination with my agency TMJ are taking care of defending my interests and being the interlocutors on this matter,’ the statement read.
‘From FUTPRO we express our firm and resounding condemnation of conduct that violates the dignity of women’.
‘From our association, we ask the Royal Spanish Football Federation to implement the necessary protocols, ensure the rights of our players, and adopt exemplary measures.
‘It is essential that our national team, current world champion, is always represented by figures that project values of equality and respect in all areas.
‘It is necessary to continue to advance in the fight for equality, a fight that our female players have led with determination, bringing us to the position we are in today.
‘We also call on the National Sports Council to support and actively promote prevention and intervention against sexual harassment or abuse, machismo and sexism, within its competences’.
The Spanish FA has already confirmed it will hold an Extraordinary General Assembly on Friday at their headquarters.
The organisation has added that internal proceedings are underway over the controversy following the World Cup final ceremony.
FIFPRO, is the worldwide representative organisation for professional footballers, has also called for an immediate investigation to be launched into Rubiales.
‘FIFPRO fully endorses the statement of Spanish player union AFE in calling for immediate action to address the conduct of Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales and is calling for investigation of his actions under FIFA’s code of ethics,’ a statement read.
‘We reiterate that it was deeply lamentable that such a special moment for the players of the Spain national team taking place before a global television audience should be stained by the inappropriate conduct of an individual in a role carrying so much responsibility.
‘Uninitiated and uninvited physical approaches towards players are not appropriate or acceptable in any context, and especially not when they are put in a position of vulnerability by a person who holds a position of power over them in their workplace.’
Separately, Spanish football chief Miguel Angel Galan has filed a complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office in Madrid and the State Attorney General’s Office alleging Rubiales’ actions constituted sexual assault.
Galan had already submitted a written complaint to Spain’s National Sports Council and the Spanish FA itself, with his latest actions pursuing the criminal route.
Spanish outlet El Confidencial has reported that Rubiales is also facing accusations that he took a Mexican woman on a six-day work-funded holiday to New York.
He is also alleged to have harassed and humiliated a female colleague, who claimed he asked her about the colour of her underwear and about wearing ‘knee pads’ in meetings when they worked together.
