Less than per week after winning the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Spain’s nationwide workforce gamers introduced Friday that they won't play any extra video games until the president of the nation's soccer federation steps down for kissing participant Jenni Hermoso on the lips after their victory.

Luis Rubiales, who was additionally chastised for grabbing his crotch after Spain’s 1-0 victory over England on Sunday, remained defiant regardless of immense strain to resign. The kiss marred the title celebrations in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday, and criticism has steadily mounted.

Hermoso issued an announcement Friday strongly rebuking Rubiales' characterization of the kiss as consensual, whereas the 46-year-old federation president solid himself because the sufferer at an emergency normal meeting of the federation in Madrid.

“I won’t resign,” he declared 4 occasions in fast succession, to applause from the overwhelmingly male viewers.

Several Spanish news media retailers reported on Thursday that Rubiales would step down. Instead, he stated on Friday that he's the sufferer of a witch hunt by “false feminists.”

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While Rubiales held his floor, federation vp Rafael del Amo, who had been in command of ladies’s soccer, introduced that he was resigning, adopted by not less than two different federation members. Del Amo had urged Rubiales to additionally resign.

Among these applauding Rubiales have been ladies’s nationwide workforce coach Jorge Vilda and males’s nationwide workforce coach Luis de la Fuente. Until Friday’s meeting, he had obtained no public help in Spain, with political events from each the left and the appropriate talking out in opposition to him.

In his speech to the gathering, Rubiales stated Hermoso “lifted me up” in a celebratory gesture and he requested her for “a little kiss?” and she or he “said yes.”

“The kiss was the same I could give one of my daughters,” Rubiales stated.

People protest in opposition to President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales in Las Rozas, Spain, on August 25, 2023| Photo Credit:Reuters

The televised broadcast of the medals ceremony didn’t present the primary moments when Rubiales congratulated Hermoso. But it does present that his toes have been on the bottom earlier than he held her face and kissed her.

Hermoso contradicted Rubiales’ model in two statements, one issued by means of her FUTRPO gamers union and a second printed on social media.

She stated that she didn't consent to the kiss or attempt to choose up the president, and that there was no dialog just like the one described by Rubiales.

“I won’t tolerate anyone doubting my word and even less someone putting words in my mouth,” she stated.

In a second assertion, Hermoso stated the kiss “left me in a state of shock.”

"I believe that no person in any workplace should be the victim of this type of nonconsensual behavior,” she added.

Hermoso also accused the federation of pressuring her and her family to speak out in Rubiales' defense. The federation previously denied a report that it forced her to make a statement downplaying the kiss shortly after it happened.

After a full day of accusations and counteraccusations between Hermoso and Rubiales, the federation issued a statement early Saturday saying that its president did not lie and that he and the organisation would take legal action against Hermoso and her union. The statement included photos that it said show Hermoso lifting Rubiales off the ground during the medals ceremony.

The FUTPRO statement signed by Hermoso, her 22 teammates, and more than 50 other Spanish players said they would no longer play for Spain “if the present leadership remains in charge”.

Rubiales said he would defend his honor in court against politicians, including two ministers, who called his kiss an act of sexual violence. One of them was acting Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz, who urged the government to take “urgent measures.”

"Impunity for macho actions is over,” Díaz stated. “Rubiales cannot continue in office.”

Alexia Putellas, Hermoso’s teammate and a two-time Ballon d’Or winner as the very best participant on the planet, posted a message of help on X, previously referred to as Twitter.

“This is unacceptable," the Barcelona player wrote. "I'm with you, my teammate, Jenni Hermoso.”

Other teammates rapidly adopted, together with gamers from overseas.

The president of Spain’s ladies’s league, Beatriz Álvarez, informed Spanish state broadcaster RTVE that she was not shocked as a result of Rubiales’ “ego is above his dignity.”

“What surprises and scandalizes me are his words,” Álvarez stated. “Every time he speaks he shows what kind of person he really is.”

Spain’s authorities deliberate to file a lawsuit Friday alleging that Rubiales violated the nation's sports activities legal guidelines, based on Víctor Francos, secretary of state for sports activities and head of Spain’s Higher Council for Sports. If Spain's Administrative Court for Sports agrees to listen to the go well with, the council will droop Rubiales pending the courtroom's ruling, Francos stated.

If discovered responsible by the courtroom for committing sexist acts, Rubiales may very well be dominated unfit to carry workplace. Francos stated he would ask the courtroom to maneuver its common Thursday assembly as much as Monday.

Iberia airways, a significant sponsor of the federation, stated it supported the federal government’s initiative to “protect the rights and dignity of our athletes.”

About 100 folks, largely ladies, gathered Friday evening in entrance of the Spanish soccer federation's headquarters in Madrid to name for Rubiales' resignation, many waving pink playing cards utilized by soccer referees to expel gamers from video games.

“What has to happen now is his resignation and the resignation of everyone who applauded him," said 39-year-old protester Alma Doña. “The federation needs to be reformed and women’s football should have more support.”

Spanish soccer membership Barcelona, which supplied 9 gamers for Spain’s workforce, stated Rubiales' conduct “was completely inappropriate.” Real Madrid stated it supported the federal government's resolution to attempt to droop Rubiales. Sevilla known as for his resignation. Athletic Bilbao stated it was renouncing its seat on the federation’s board and backed the federal government’s choices. Osasuna slammed Rubiales, calling him “rude and sexist.” Espanyol, Valencia, and Celta Vigo additionally issued statements in opposition to Rubiales, as did Spanish league president Javier Tebas.

FIFA, the governing physique of soccer, opened a disciplinary case in opposition to Rubiales on Thursday. Disciplinary judges can impose sanctions on people starting from warnings and fines to suspensions from the game.

The Netherlands-based FIFPRO participant’s union, which had already demanded motion in opposition to Rubiales, reiterated its place after his meeting speech.

The solely related establishment to stay silent has been European soccer physique UEFA, for which Rubiales is a vp. FIFPRO urged UEFA to open its personal disciplinary case.

Rubiales, who led the Spanish gamers union for eight years earlier than taking on as federation president in 2018, is at present heading the UEFA-backed bid to host the boys’s World Cup in 2030. Spain is bidding with neighboring Portugal and Morocco, and in addition probably Ukraine.

Rubiales made 339,000 euros ($365,000) in 2021 after taxes, for presiding over the federation with a finances of 382 million euros ($412 million). The federation runs Spain’s males’s and ladies’s nationwide soccer groups and its semi-professional and beginner soccer leagues. It additionally organizes the referees for La Liga. The authorities maintains some oversight of the entity nevertheless it can not title or take away its executives.

Shortly earlier than the kiss, Rubiales grabbed his crotch in a victory gesture, with Queen Letizia of Spain and 16-year outdated Princess Sofía standing close by.

He provided an apology for that, saying it was in a second of “euphoria” and directed towards Vilda on the sphere.

The first members of the elite in Spanish males's soccer spoke out in opposition to Rubiales on Thursday, when it appeared like he was bowing out. Their phrases of reproach continued to trickle in after Rubiales' diatribe on Friday.

“What an embarrassment,” former Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas stated on X. “We should have spent the last five days talking about our women players, about the joy they gave us all! About how proud we are that they gave us a title that we didn’t have in women’s football, instead …”

Real Betis ahead Borja Iglesias, who has often been known as up for Spain’s nationwide workforce, stated he wouldn't play for his nation once more “until things change.”