Inside Spain is a weekly instalment brought to you by Football España, providing an insight into all of the major stories coming out of the rich and intense climes of La Liga and beyond.
Somehow, it got worse. President of the Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales topped of his week of lying in the name of Jenni Hermoso, putting together a ‘sorry if you were offended apology’ which he pressured her to be in, and then failing to heed the warnings of the Spanish Government to resign by acting out a Leonardo di Caprio scene from the Wolf of Wall Street. His shouting ‘I’m not resigning’ may have been applauded by most of the Federation Assembly, but it was met with horror by the rest of Spain.
Less than 24 hours later he was suspended by FIFA for 90 days, and now the Ministry for Sport has taken the matter to a tribunal. If they get the verdict they want, that it was a ‘very serious infraction’, Rubiales could be out of the game for 2-15 years. After he spun his story that Hermoso had consented during a conversation on the podium where he said ‘just a peck?’ and she responded ‘OK’, Hermoso came out with a public statement denying that, saying she felt vulnerable and was the victim of sexual assault.
#ÚltimaHora ?? Luis Rubiales no dimitirá como presidente de la RFEF:
?? “No voy a dimitir, no voy a dimitir”. pic.twitter.com/VsHwl1T0mA
— Relevo (@relevo) August 25, 2023
79 players have signed a document put together by her union, which states that they will be pursuing action against him, and that they will not be playing anymore until change happens. Since, UEFA player of the Year Aitana Bonmati and Sarina Wiegman demanded better at the Champions League draw.
A video was released of Hermoso laughing off the incident on the team bus after, seemingly demanding that not only she process the incident and complain about it immediately, but also that she be miserable after winning the World Cup. It looks as if the applause and the player strike will cost both Rubiales and Manager Jorge Vilda their jobs. The RFEF regional bosses have demanded his resignation, and yet somehow Rubiales remains. His mother did go on hunger strike in a church…
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