Oscar winner Portman praises Spain team’s resilience amid kiss scandal
BERLIN: Oscar-winning actress and soccer club co-owner Natalie Portman on Thursday praised Spain’s World Cup-winning players, saying they showed great resilience against “harassment, abuse and assault.” Their World Cup victory last month has been overshadowed by the furor over the behavior of Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales, who at the medals ceremony in Sydney grabbed player Jenni Hermoso’s head and kissed her. Hermoso, who says she did not agree to the kiss, on Wednesday lodged a criminal complaint over the matter, which has spiralled into a national debate over women’s rights and sexist behavior.