An incident involving Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Football Federation, and Jenni Hermoso, star of the women's national team, creates an unprecedented scandal.
Following Spain's victory in the Women's World Cup final, Rubiales kissed Hermoso, a gesture she described as non-consensual, sending the football world into an uproar.
The context is intensifying. On August 26, FIFA provisionally suspended Rubiales, putting more pressure on the leader. At the same time, Jorge Vilda, the World Cup champion coach, did not hide his dissatisfaction with Rubiales. Following this, a collective resignation of its technical staff was recorded, marking an unprecedented protest.
The incident also had an echo beyond the football field. Yolanda Diaz, Spain's interim labor minister, has shed light on the underlying problem of machismo in the country. She highlighted the urgent need for attitudinal changes, while advocating for increased protection for victims of harassment and violence.
Faced with the scale of the crisis, an extraordinary meeting of the regional presidents of the Federation (RFEF) took place. They unanimously called for Rubiales' resignation, while expressing support for Pedro Rocha, the interim head of the RFEF. They also call for an overhaul of the current structure to usher in a new chapter in the management of Spanish football.
But the drama doesn't end there. In a desperate bid for support, Angeles Bejar, Rubiales' mother, has holed up in a church in Spain, declaring a hunger strike to protest what she perceives as a witch hunt against her son. The family's concern and disarray are palpable, particularly in the words of Rubiales' cousin, Vanessa Ruiz, who deplores the hasty judgment of the press.
The rest of the events are marked by legal actions. Spanish prosecutors have launched a preliminary investigation into the incident, trying to determine whether it could be considered sexual assault. The move was partly prompted by Hermoso's outspoken statements regarding the incident.
Through this chain of events, one thing is clear: Spanish football is at a crossroads. The actions and decisions taken in the days and weeks to come could redefine not only the face of the federation, but also the way in which questions of respect and consent are approached in the world of sport.