Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales has mentioned he’ll proceed defending himself “to show the reality”.
Rubiales, 46, has been extensively criticised after he kissed participant Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s Ladies’s World Cup remaining win in Sydney, Australia on 20 August.
Hermoso mentioned the kiss through the medal ceremony was not consensual.
Rubiales has repeatedly refused to resign regardless of being suspended by world soccer’s governing physique Fifa.
In his first public feedback since 25 August, when he refused to step down at a rare normal meeting referred to as by the federation (RFEF), Rubiales acknowledged he had “made errors” however repeated his perception that the kiss was consensual.
He added: “I’ll proceed to defend myself to show the reality.”
Earlier, Spain’s nationwide sports activities tribunal (TAD) opened a misconduct case in opposition to him.
The TAD dominated Rubiales dedicated a “severe offence” by kissing Hermoso, however stopped in need of the “very severe offence” cost the federal government had requested which might have led to his suspension.
In response, sports activities minister Miquel Iceta referred to as for Rubiales’ momentary suspension till the case has been resolved.
“The Sports activities Council and the federal government consider the RFEF president’s actions ought to be labeled as a really severe abuse of authority which damages the picture of Spanish soccer,” he mentioned.
Rubiales, who additionally grabbed his crotch whereas celebrating within the VIP space in Stadium Australia, with Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter standing close by, continued: “On 20 August, I made some apparent errors, for which I sincerely, from the guts, remorse.
“I’ve realized that regardless of how nice the enjoyment and the way deep the emotion, even if you win a World Cup, sports activities leaders ought to be held to exemplary behaviour, and mine was not so.
“I nonetheless trust within the independence of the our bodies the place this matter ought to be resolved, regardless of the political stress and the interest-driven brutality of sure media shops.
“Though details about this matter is being subjected to quite a few manipulations, lies, and censorship, the reality has just one path, and that is why I repeat, I belief that justice shall be served.”
He added: “I wish to ship a message to all the great individuals in our nation and past our borders, together with these ladies who’ve actually been attacked and who’ve my full help and understanding: this isn’t about gender, it’s about reality.”
What else has occurred?
On Monday, Spanish prosecutors opened a preliminary investigation into whether or not the incident quantities to against the law of sexual assault, whereas the RFEF’s regional leaders referred to as for his resignation.
Rubiales’ mom locked herself in a church on the identical day and went on an “indefinite” starvation strike in protest in opposition to the remedy of her son. She was taken to hospital on Wednesday and discharged the subsequent day.
Additionally on Friday, the pinnacle of Spain’s Olympic Committee mentioned Rubiales’ actions had been “inappropriate and unacceptable” however an “remoted incident” that didn’t symbolize Spanish sport as a complete.
Alejandro Blanco, who described Rubiales as a private good friend, added that he suggested the 46-year-old in a telephone name after the World Cup remaining to apologise, spotlight the success for Spanish ladies’s soccer and supply his resignation.
“I consider that [resigning] would have been a coherent gesture, one which the entire of society would perceive and the most effective gesture that could possibly be made to indicate repentance,” he mentioned.
In the meantime, the pinnacle coach of Spain’s males’s workforce hasrequested for “forgiveness”after applauding final Friday’s speech by which Rubiales mentioned he wouldn’t resign.
Luis de la Fuente mentioned it was an “inexcusable human error” however added he wouldn’t step down from his job.
The RFEF can be exploring its choices over whether or not it may sack Ladies’s World Cup-winning head coach Jorge Vilda.
Vilda stays in his publish regardless of most of his teaching workers resigning in protest in opposition to Rubiales’ refusal to stop. Eighty-one Spain gamers, together with all 23 World Cup winners, have additionally mentioned they might not play for the workforce once more whereas Rubiales remained in place.
A video has emerged showing to indicate Hermoso and her team-mates laughing and discussing the kiss on the workforce bus following the sport.
Hermoso seems to be viewing a meme of ex-Spain males’s goalkeeper Iker Casillas kissing his then companion Sara Carbonero, a tv presenter, throughout an interview following his nation’s 2010 World Cup victory.
She later says “he comes over and hugs me like this” when speaking about Rubiales.
In her assertion denying the kiss was consensual, Hermoso mentioned: “I really feel the necessity to report this incident as a result of I consider no individual, in any work, sports activities or social setting ought to be a sufferer of a lot of these non-consensual behaviours.
“I felt susceptible and a sufferer of impulsive-driven, sexist, out-of-place act, with none consent on my half. Fairly merely, I used to be not revered.”
She added that she was put “underneath steady stress” to assist with a “assertion that might justify” Rubiales’ actions – and so had been her household, mates and team-mates.