Rubiales' mother goes on hunger strike in church over FA row - ESPN

The mother of embattled Spanish football federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales has locked herself in a church and said she is on hunger strike in protest at her son's treatment, Rubiales' cousin confirmed on Monday.

Ángeles Béjar shut herself inside the church of the Divine Shepherdess in Rubiales' hometown of Motril, Andalusia, on Monday, EFE reported.

She said her protest would continue until the «inhuman, bloodthirsty witch hunt which my son is being subjected to» came to an end.

— Charting Spain FA president's five controversial years in charge

Rubiales was handed a provisional 90-day suspension from all football-related activities by FIFA on Friday — while Spain's Supreme Sports Council is also seeking to have him removed from office — over his behaviour after Spain's Women's World Cup final win, including his unsolicited kiss on Spain player Jenni Hermoso.

Rubiales has refused to resign over the issue, insisting that the kiss was consensual — a claim denied by the player — and threatening legal action against Hermoso and her union, Futpro.

Béjar told EFE her protest would continue «indefinitely, day and night» until Rubiales was vindicated.

She added: «There is no sexual abuse since there is consent on both sides, as the images prove… My son is incapable of hurting anyone.»

The news agency reported that she had locked herself inside the church in Motril — a town with a population of around 60,000, in the province of Granada — with her sister, after its priest had left.

Rubiales' cousin Vanessa Ruiz Béjar confirmed to Teledeporte that his mother was on hunger strike, saying: «This is very hard. To say that there is a harassment is not fair.

»That his mom, who is a person of great faith, has taken refuge in God