{"id":59023,"date":"2023-09-02T01:19:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-02T01:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/09\/02\/football-boss-releases-dramatic-statement-as-spanish-sports-court-begins-probe-into-controversial-wc-kiss\/"},"modified":"2023-09-02T01:19:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-02T01:19:00","slug":"football-boss-releases-dramatic-statement-as-spanish-sports-court-begins-probe-into-controversial-wc-kiss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/09\/02\/football-boss-releases-dramatic-statement-as-spanish-sports-court-begins-probe-into-controversial-wc-kiss\/","title":{"rendered":"Football boss releases dramatic statement as Spanish sports court begins probe into controversial WC kiss"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Spain\u2019s sports court has agreed to investigate Luis Rubiales for forcibly kissing a Women\u2019s World Cup player as the scandal-hit football chief insisted he would defend himself to \u201cprove the truth\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Spanish government lodged a complaint against Rubiales through the state-run National Sports Council (CSD) exactly a week ago, accusing him of \u201cvery serious\u201d offences.<\/p>\n

But in agreeing to take the case, the Administrative Tribunal for Sport (TAD) said it considered the behaviour in question \u201cserious\u201d, falling short of the government\u2019s characterisation of Rubiales\u2019 actions.<\/p>\n

Had the court accepted the \u201cvery serious\u201d qualification, it would have allowed the Sports Council to suspend the 46-year-old head of the Spanish football federation (RFEF) for the duration of the case.<\/p>\n

Rubiales has already been suspended by world governing body FIFA for 90 days while it decides on disciplinary measures after he forcibly kissed midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the mouth<\/a> after Spain won the Women\u2019s World Cup final in Sydney on August 20.<\/p>\n

Sports Minister Miquel Iceta said CSD would \u201cask the court to temporarily suspend Rubiales from his duties until the case against him has been definitively resolved\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Luis Rubiales has hit out amid the investigation. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE \/ AFP)<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe Sports Council and the government believe the RFEF president\u2019s actions should be classified as a very serious abuse of authority which damage the image of Spanish football,\u201d he told a news conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s over… We will not tolerate any lack of respect for women\u2019s rights, nor will we back down on policies of equality between men and women in sport.\u201d <\/p>\n

Rubiales swiftly responded to the government pressure in a statement published by newspaper El Mundo, his first public words since his fiery defensive speech last week in which he refused to resign.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to send a message to all the good people in our country and beyond our borders, including those women who have really been attacked and who have my full support and understanding: this is not about gender, it is about truth,\u201d said Rubiales.<\/p>\n

Spain\u2019s top criminal court has also opened a preliminary investigation into the kiss on the grounds it could constitute \u201csexual assault\u201d, which under Spanish law covers a wide array of offences from online abuse to rape.<\/p>\n

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Jennifer Hermoso was kissed on the lips by Rubiales. (Photo by STEVE CHRISTO \/ JIJI PRESS \/ AFP)<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rubiales also came under fire for grabbing his crotch with both hands as he celebrated Spain\u2019s win in Sydney while standing next to Spain\u2019s Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter, Princess Sofia.<\/p>\n

The federation chief apologised for his behaviour but repeated his belief that the kiss was consensual — Hermoso says it was not, and that she felt like a \u201cvictim of an assault\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn August 20, I made some obvious mistakes, for which I sincerely, from the heart, regret,\u201d said Rubiales.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve learned that no matter how great the joy and how deep the emotion, even when you win a World Cup, sports leaders should be held to exemplary behaviour, and mine was not so.\u201d Rubiales reiterated that the kiss was \u201ca mutual and consensual act\u201d with \u201coverflowing jubilation on both sides\u201d. He said he believed justice would prevail.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still have confidence in the independence of the bodies where this matter should be resolved, despite the political pressure and the interest-driven brutality of certain media outlets,\u201d added Rubiales.<\/p>\n

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President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales is fighting for his career. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE \/ AFP)<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cAlthough information about this matter is being subjected to numerous manipulations, lies, and censorship, the truth has only one path, and that\u2019s why I repeat, I trust that justice will be served.\u201d Rubiales also criticised politicians for giving their opinions on his behaviour. \u201cI am particularly concerned that some of those who should proclaim and contribute to ensuring the separation of powers in our country are determined to take part and exert pressure against me, instead of allowing justice to act … while remaining impartial,\u201d he complained.<\/p>\n

The Spanish football federation\u2019s territorial presidents asked Rubiales to step down from his post last week, while over 80 women\u2019s players are striking from the national team until there are changes in the RFEF leadership.<\/p>\n

Earlier Spain men\u2019s coach Luis de la Fuente apologised for applauding Rubiales\u2019 speech last week in which the president railed against \u201cfalse feminism\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to say sorry, I made a mistake, it\u2019s inexcusable,\u201d De la Fuente told a news conference, confirming he will stay in his own post.<\/p>\n

The Spanish football federation are set to force out controversial women\u2019s coach Jorge Vilda, according to reports.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Spain\u2019s sports court has agreed to investigate Luis Rubiales for forcibly kissing a Women\u2019s World Cup player as the scandal-hit football chief insisted he would defend himself to \u201cprove the truth\u201d. The Spanish government lodged a complaint against Rubiales through the state-run National Sports Council (CSD) exactly a week ago, accusing him of \u201cvery serious\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":59024,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[29588,2228,83,1736,29581,1429,28889,29582,29586,149,29577,29584,22588,29115,8330,28042,11659,27569,23324,28086,29592,1626,5599,29578,1728,29479,29112,29583,29580,28400,29591,29585,29579,2457,2902,28363,29589,8323,28894,1019,29590,29587,9037],"class_list":{"0":"post-59023","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-administrative-tribunal-for-sport","9":"tag-agence-france-presse","10":"tag-australia","11":"tag-australia-and-new-zealand","12":"tag-csd","13":"tag-europe","14":"tag-federation-chief","15":"tag-fiery-defensive-speech","16":"tag-football-boss-hits","17":"tag-football-news","18":"tag-government-pressure","19":"tag-interest-driven-brutality","20":"tag-jennifer-hermoso","21":"tag-jiji-press-kk","22":"tag-jorge-vilda","23":"tag-letizia","24":"tag-luis-de-la-fuente","25":"tag-luis-rubiales","26":"tag-media-outlets","27":"tag-miquel-iceta","28":"tag-national-sports-council","29":"tag-new-south-wales","30":"tag-news-conference","31":"tag-newspaper-statement","32":"tag-oceania","33":"tag-power-couple-rumour","34":"tag-preliminary-investigation","37":"tag-royal-spanish-football-federation-luis-rubiales","38":"tag-rubiales-hits","39":"tag-scandal-hit-football-chief","40":"tag-sofia","41":"tag-southern-europe","45":"tag-spanish-football-federation","46":"tag-sports-court","47":"tag-sydney","48":"tag-territorial-presidents","49":"tag-top-criminal-court","50":"tag-world-governing-body"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59023"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59023\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}