Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish Football Association and the protagonist of ‘Kiss Gate’, has decided to step down from his position.메이저놀이터
On the 11th (Korean time), President Rubiales said through his SNS, ‘I submitted my resignation letter to the current acting president of the Spanish Football Association. He said he would also step down from his position as vice president of the European Football Association (UEFA). Chairman Rubiales has been under pressure to resign from the global sports community since the ‘Kissing Gate’ scandal broke out, but he has consistently ‘held on’ and announced his intention to resign for the first time on this day. He said, “Given the swift disciplinary action taken by FIFA and the lawsuit filed against me, it became clear that I would not be able to return.” “It will not have any positive impact on Spanish football,” he said. As Spain is attempting to host the 2030 World Cup along with Portugal, Morocco, and Ukraine, the remarks are interpreted as taking possible damage into account.
However, he did not admit to his own mistakes until the end. Chairman Rubiales said, “I believe in the truth, and I will do my best to help that truth win,” and added, “I am grateful to everyone who has supported me so far.” With President Rubiales’ resignation, the Spanish women’s national team is expected to play the Nations League qualifying match against Sweden scheduled for the 22nd as normal. After this controversy broke out, about 80 Spanish players announced that they would not play for the national team unless the president resigns.
Prior to President Rubiales’ resignation, coach Jorge Bilda, who led Spain to its first-ever Women’s World Cup victory, was eventually dismissed amid controversy. The Spanish Football Association announced Coach Bilda’s resignation on its official website on the 6th. Without providing a direct explanation for the reason for his dismissal, he expressed gratitude for being ‘the key to the remarkable growth of Spanish women’s soccer’ and for leading the women’s national soccer team to win the World Cup and reach second place in the FIFA rankings, its highest ranking ever. ‘I would like to thank her for the professionalism and dedication she has shown over the years,’ she wrote.
Bilda took charge of the Spanish women’s national team in 2015. He led the team to victory in the Australia-New Zealand World Cup, which ended on the 20th of last month. It was the first World Cup victory for the Spanish women’s team. Spain has been reborn as a powerhouse after coach Bilda took office. Spain, who advanced to the round of 16 at the 2019 World Cup in France, also reached the quarterfinals of last year’s European Women’s Football Championship (Women’s Euro 2022) and engaged in a fierce battle with the champion England, which went all the way to overtime.
Although Coach Bilda showed great leadership skills on the field, he was not without ‘blemishes’. Last September, 15 players from the Spanish women’s national team began a ‘boycott of training’ in protest against coach Bilda’s coaching methods. 15 players sent a real-name email to the association, claiming that ‘Coach Bilda is a threat to their mental health’ and demanding a professional environment in which they can focus on soccer and a replacement of the manager, but President Rubiales’ association sided with the manager, leading to a revolt by the players. ended in inaction. Although only three of the 15 players made it to the World Cup squad, coach Bilda performed a miracle leading Spain to a surprise victory.
After winning, something unexpected happened. Four months passed at the championship award ceremony. At the award ceremony, which was broadcast live, Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Association, presented the championship medals to the Spanish players on the podium and showed excessive affection, such as kissing the cheeks and hugging them. In particular, while hugging Hermoso, he was seen holding her head and kissing her lips. Afterwards, a scene in the locker room where Hermoso laughed in response to a related question during a live broadcast on Instagram but said, “I wasn’t in a good mood,” was shared through social media such as X (formerly Twitter), causing a stir. Criticism poured in from soccer fans around the world.
In this situation, President Rubiales was criticized again for lightly mentioning his actions by joking that he would give the players a trip to Ibiza as a reward for winning the World Cup and that ‘it would be an opportunity to celebrate the wedding of Jenny and Luis Rubiales.’ stood at the center of
Major foreign media outlets unanimously criticized Rubiales’ actions, saying that they amounted to sexual violence in a broad sense as they amounted to ‘physical contact without consent.’ Spain’s leading daily newspaper, El Pais, said, ‘Hermoso did not like Rubiales’ kiss. Criticism was raised through an editorial titled ‘So are we.’ El Pais said, ‘The president of the Spanish Football Association may say it was a misunderstanding, but suddenly kissing (someone else’s) mouth is an ‘attack” and added, ”A thief kiss’ is not always surprising and pleasant. On the contrary, it is an infringement,’ he pointed out.
On the 21st, Spain’s Equalities Minister Irene Montero defined President Rubiales’ act of unilaterally kissing Hermoso without asking for her consent as ‘sexual violence.’ “Let’s not take for granted that kissing without consent is ‘normal’. This is sexual violence that women experience on a daily basis, and although it has been hidden from view until now, we should never accept it as normal,” she stipulated. “This is a challenge for our entire society. Consent must be at the center of these actions. You are only ‘yes’ when you say ‘yes’,” she said, slamming President Ruby Ales’ actions.
As the controversy grew, Hermoso dismissed the podium kissing incident through the Spanish media as a ‘natural expression of affection’ and explained that ‘Chairman Rubiales maintains a good relationship with the national team.’ Hermos said again on Instagram Live: “The enormous joy of winning the World Cup made this a completely voluntary mutual gesture.” He explained, “The chairman and I have a good relationship and he has shown exemplary behavior for all of us, which was a natural expression of affection and gratitude.” “There is no need to overanalyze this gesture of friendship and gratitude. We won the World Cup and we will not deviate from this important fact,” he said.
Despite Hermoso’s statement, criticism of President Rubiales did not stop, and he eventually bowed his head. President Rubiales said in a video sent to the media by the Spanish Football Association on the 21st, “I made a mistake,” and “I was emotional at the time. There was no bad intention at all.” He continued, “The repercussions outside have grown. That scene has hurt many people’s hearts. I must apologize for this. I will learn more from this incident and remember that I must act carefully as the head of an organization.” “He added.
President Rubiales also said that although his national team achieved great results, it was regrettable that the controversy that arose due to his actions immediately afterward received more attention. He bowed his head and said, “(Winning the World Cup) is even more sad because it is the greatest success of women’s soccer in our history. I was trying to celebrate Spain’s second championship (across men’s and women’s), but this situation affected it.”
The waves didn’t stop. Hermoso side condemned the incident, saying, “He must not be punished.” The BBC reported on the 24th that Hermoso said, “Futpro, the union I am a member of, and my agent will protect my interests in this matter.” FootPro said in a statement: “We will ensure that such behavior is punished. We hope that (the head of the Football Association) is sanctioned and that exemplary action is taken to protect female footballers from what we consider to be unacceptable behavior.” “It must be adopted,” he argued.
President Rubiales then counterattacked through the Spanish Football Association. We are taking legal action against Hermoso. According to the BBC on the 26th, the Spanish Football Association issued a statement through FootPro, the local players’ union, saying that it had clear evidence that Hermoso’s statement that he “never consented to the kiss” was false and that it was taking legal action against Hermoso. “We will take it,” he announced. The Spanish Football Association emphasized, “There is conclusive evidence. President Rubiales did not lie. The association and the president will prove that the story spread by Hermoso or someone on Hermoso’s behalf is false.”
The federation also countered that more than 80 Spanish women’s players, including Hermoso and 23 women’s national team players, had declared they would not play for the national team unless President Rubiales resigned, saying they would be obliged to play if selected. . According to DPA news agency, the Spanish Football Association attached four photos showing Hermoso trying to hug President Rubiales and lift him into the air along with the statement. President Rubiales claimed that his actions had received prior consent from Hermoso. He said that Hermoso’s request at the time was to hug him and lift him up, and that he also received the reply ‘Do that’ to his request ‘Can I kiss you lightly?’
However, Hermoso refuted through FootPro that he never consented to the kiss and that there was no conversation mentioned by Chairman Rubiales. Afterwards, Hermoso repeatedly expressed his stance through his social media (SNS), saying, “Victims of this kind of non-consensual behavior should not be found in any workplace.” About 80 Spanish female soccer players, including key player Hermoso, issued a statement through FootPro and announced their intention to boycott.
Chairman Rubiales launched a counterattack. He strongly expressed his intention not to resign in a speech after the emergency response meeting on the 25th. Chairman Rubiales, who had already defined those who criticized him as ‘fools’ at the beginning of the week, said that the pressure on him to resign was an act of social assassination by fake feminism and shouted four times, “I will never resign, I will fight until the end.”
Then, criticism continued from the players, regardless of gender. Men’s national team defender Borja Iglesias has hit out at president Rubi Ales, saying he will not play for the national team. Alexia Putelas, a member of the Women’s World Cup winning team and two-time Ballon d’Or winner, was the first female player to post a criticism on social media. In addition, former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea and Real Madrid’s legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas also posted comments criticizing President Rubiales.
In the end, the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) pulled out its sword. Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Association, was first suspended from office for 90 days. FIFA announced on the 26th, ‘Disciplinary Committee Chairman Jorge Ivan Palacio will temporarily suspend President Rubiales’ authority in all areas related to soccer from this day based on Article 51 of the Disciplinary Regulations.’ He continued, “This measure applies not only to Spain but also to international activities,” and added, “It will take effect today and will continue for 90 days while the disciplinary process takes place.” In addition, FIFA added that it had issued an additional order preventing President Rubiales from approaching the country’s female player, Henifer Hermoso, with whom he unexpectedly kissed, for the time being. Contact through third parties is also not permitted.
FIFA said, “This is a measure to protect Hermoso’s fundamental rights and maintain order during the disciplinary process,” and said it would announce the final results of the investigation, including whether disciplinary action will be taken, at a later date. The disciplinary committee’s action was notified to the Spanish Football Association and the European Football Association (UEFA). President Rubiales also serves as Vice President of UEFA.
On the 27th of last month, the entire coaching staff, except coach Bilda, condemned Chairman Rubiales and resigned. Director Vilda was one of the few people who defended President Rubiales, who refused to resign amid strong criticism immediately after the incident, and President Rubiales also announced that Director Vilda would be reappointed, but ultimately was unable to withstand the pressure of global public opinion. Monse Tome, one of Vilda’s coaches, will take the helm of the Spanish women’s national soccer team as his successor. She is the first female head coach in Spanish women’s soccer history. Tomé, 41 years old, is a former national team player and coach of the Spanish youth national team, and has joined coach Bilda’s coaching staff since 2018.
Acting Chairman Pedro Rocha, who took power after Chairman Rubiales was suspended, also issued an official apology statement on this day. Acting President Rocha said, “The association apologizes for Rubiales’ wrong actions. We sincerely apologize to the world of soccer, FIFA, UEFA, the players, especially the national team players and the fans.” . He went on to draw a line, saying, “(This incident) has caused enormous damage not only to Spanish soccer, sports, and society, but also to soccer itself as a sport,” and added, “Rubiales is not a person who represents the values supported by the association or Spanish society.” .