FIFA suspends Rubiales after Spanish federation threatened Hermoso

FIFA have provisionally suspended Spanish football federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales for 90 days pending an investigation into his actions at last week’s Women’s World Cup final. Rubiales is refusing to resign despite widespread condemnation for his actions in the aftermath of Spain’s 1-0 victory over England, most notably a kiss of forward Jennifer Hermoso.The 90 day ruling by world football’s governing body will ban Rubiales and any other member of the Spanish federation from contacting Hermoso.

Their statement said: “The chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, Jorge Ivan Palacio (Colombia), in use of the powers granted by article 51 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC), has decided today to provisionally suspend Mr. Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level. This suspension, which will be effective as of today, is for an initial period of 90 days, pending the disciplinary proceedings opened against Mr. Luis Rubiales on Thursday, August 24.

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 apologised for his kiss, but she declined.

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 said “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”.It would take “as many legal actions as necessary to defend the honour of the President of the RFEF.”

CBS/France 24