The president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, has been subject to disciplinary proceedings by FIFA after a video surfaced of him giving an unwanted kiss to a star player of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad.
FIFA issued a statement saying that the events may constitute violations of article 13 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code”.
Article 13 relates to infringements of laws of the game, for example “violating the basic rules of decent conduct.”
Additionally, due to his actions following La Roja’s World Cup victory, RFEF President Rubiales is facing fresh criticism from two of Spain’s leading organizations involved in women’s soccer.
In an effort to combat “machismo and sexism,” the union for Spain’s female soccer players has demanded that the head of the national football federation be punished for kissing Jennifer Hermoso on the lips after the team won the World Cup.
“It is essential that our team, the current world champion, is always represented by figures who project values of equality and respect in all areas,” Spain’s Association of Professional Soccer Players (FUTPRO) said in a statement Wednesday.
“The union is working so that acts like the ones we have seen never go unpunished, are sanctioned and the pertinent measures are adopted to protect the football players from actions that we believe are unacceptable.”
Following her team’s 1-0 victory over England on Sunday, Rubiales was caught on camera forcing a kiss on the striker.
Hermoso, 33, also made a statement on Wednesday, stating that the union and her agency TMJ would be “defending my interests and acting as spokespersons on this matter.” She had previously stated that she “didn’t like” the kiss and “didn’t expect it”.
In its statement, FUTPRO vowed to combat “sexual harassment or abuse, machismo, and sexism “.
“It is necessary to continue advancing in the fight for equality, a fight that our players have led with determination, taking us to the position in which we find ourselves today,” the union said.
Source-CNN
