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.
At the conclusion of Spain's victory in the Women's World Cup final, Rubiales kissed Hermoso, a gesture she described as non-consensual, sending shockwaves through the football world.
The situation is escalating. On August 26, FIFA provisionally suspended Rubiales, putting further pressure on the official. At the same time, Jorge Vilda, the World Cup-winning coach, openly expressed his displeasure with Rubiales. Following this, there was a collective resignation from his technical staff, marking an unprecedented protest.
The incident also resonated beyond the football field. Yolanda Diaz, Spain's acting Minister of Labor, highlighted the underlying problem of sexism in the country. She emphasized the urgent need for changes in attitudes while advocating for greater 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) was held. They unanimously called for Rubiales' resignation, while expressing their support for Pedro Rocha, the interim head of the RFEF. They also call for a restructuring of the current system to usher in a new chapter in the management of Spanish football.
But the drama does not stop there. In a desperate attempt at support, Angeles Bejar, Rubiales' mother, locked herself in a church in Spain, declaring a hunger strike to protest what she sees as a witch hunt against her son. The family’s concern and distress are palpable, notably in the words of Rubiales' cousin, Vanessa Ruiz, who laments 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.
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