"Inappropriate Behaviour": Spain Coach Slams Football Chief Over Kiss Scandal

27.08.2023 - 04:11 sports.ndtv.com

Spain women's coach Jorge Vilda criticised the behaviour of suspended federation chief Luis Rubiales on Saturday, after 81 players went on strike and the majority of his coaching staff offered to resign. "I deeply regret that Spanish women's football's triumph has been harmed by the improper behaviour of our leader Luis Rubiales, which he himself has acknowledged," said controversial coach Vilda in a statement to domestic EFE news agency.

Spanish football federation president Rubiales has been widely criticised for kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips as the Spanish team celebrated winning the Women's World Cup in Sydney last Sunday.

World football governing body FIFA suspended Rubiales on Saturday, while the Spanish government confirmed they are taking action against the RFEF chief.

Hermoso says she did not consent to being kissed by Rubiales but the 46-year-old federation head says the kiss was "consensual".

Football FIFA Celebrity Luis Rubiales Jorge Vilda Spain

BARCELONA: Spain men's coach Luis de la Fuente apologised on Friday (Sep 1) for applauding football federation president Luis Rubiales' speech last week in which he said he would not resign, after his forcible kiss on the lips of Women's World Cup star Jenni Hermoso.

Spain Coach Apologises For Applauding Controversial Luis Rubiales Speech

Spain men's coach Luis de la Fuente apologised Friday for applauding football federation president Luis Rubiales' speech last week in which he said he would not resign, after his forcible kiss on the lips of Women's World Cup star Jenni Hermoso. "I have to say sorry, I made a mistake, it's inexcusable," De la Fuente told a news conference. Rubiales, 46, sparked worldwide outrage when he forcibly kissed Spain midfielder Hermoso during the Women's World Cup medal ceremony in Sydney on August 20.

Spain legal panel opens case against suspended soccer chief over World Cup kiss

MADRID: A Spanish government legal panel is opening a case against suspended soccer chief Luis Rubiales, the state news agency Efe said on Friday. Rubiales has come in for a storm of criticism and calls for his resignation for kissing a player without consent after Spain won the recent Women’s World Cup final in Sydney. FIFA has already suspended Rubiales for 90 days while it studies the case. Spain is looking to remove him independently of the FIFA process. Rubiales is the president of the Spanish Football Federation and a vice president of UEFA. Efe said the legal panel said Rubiales’ behavior would be studied for two possible cases of serious misconduct. The government hoped the panel would recommend very serious misconduct, a category that would allow the state’s sport body to ban him provisionally with a view to eventually declaring him unfit to hold the job.

Spain Opens 'Kiss Scandal' Probe As Football Federation Asks Chief To Quit

Prosecutors at Spain's top criminal court opened a preliminary investigation Monday into Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales' forcible kiss on the lips of World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on grounds it could constitute a crime of "sexual assault". The Spanish football federation (RFEF) regional presidents then asked the 46-year-old to resign because of his "unacceptable behaviour" and called for "profound and imminent" restructuring of the organisation.

Spain opens preliminary sex abuse probe over suspended chief Rubiales' kiss

Prosecutors at Spain's top criminal court said Monday they had opened a preliminary investigation into Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales' forcible kiss on the lips of World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on grounds it could constitute a crime of "sexual assault".