Jenni Hermoso denies consent to kiss, federation president Rubiales refuses resignation, causing legal and disciplinary proceedings
Posted : 26 August 2023
Jenni Hermoso, a forward in Spain's women's football team, has denied giving consent for a kiss from Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish football federation, after Spain's Women's World Cup final victory.
As a response to this incident, 81 players from Spain's women's team have announced that they will not play until Rubiales is removed from his position. Rubiales has rejected calls to resign and stated that the kiss was mutual and consensual.
The Spanish government and FIFA have initiated legal and disciplinary proceedings, respectively. Hermoso refuted Rubiales' claim, asserting that the kiss was neither consensual nor part of a conversation they had.
She emphasized the importance of consent and condemned non-consensual behavior in any setting. Hermoso also mentioned that she was pressured to provide a statement justifying Rubiales' actions. This incident has further highlighted issues of non-consensual behavior in sports, adding to a history of complaints from players.
The controversy has prompted players to take a stand, with Borja Iglesias announcing that he won't play for the men's national team while Rubiales remains in power. The next match for Spain's women's team is scheduled against Sweden in the Nations League.