Spanish football chief Luis Rubiales says he will not resign after controversial World Cup kiss

The president of the Spanish Football Federation refused to resign on Friday despite an uproar for kissing a player on the lips without her consent after the Women’s World Cup final.

Luis Rubiales told an emergency general assembly of the federation that he "won’t resign” four times in quick succession and claimed he was a victim of a witch hunt by “false feminists.”

Rubiales kissed Spain and CF Pachuca player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the award ceremony after Spain beat England in the final in Sydney, Australia, marring the title celebrations with his actions.

Several Spanish media outlets reported on Thursday that Rubiales was planning to step down.

That same day, FIFA, football's global governing body and organiser of the Women’s World Cup, opened a disciplinary case against him.

Its disciplinary committee was tasked with weighing whether Rubiales violated its code relating to “the basic rules of decent conduct” and “behaving in a way that brings the sport of football and/or FIFA into disrepute.”

In an apology video, he said the kiss was “mutual and with the consent” of Hermoso. He received various applause from the overwhelming male assembly.

Rubiales described the controversial kiss as "spontaneous, mutual, euphoric and consensual," although he said sorry "for the context in which it took place".

Hermoso had said, “I didn’t like it [the kiss], but what can I do," in a video streamed on social media last Sunday. 

That move by FIFA came after Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that Rubiales’ attempt to apologise, which came after he initially insulted his critics, was unconvincing and that “he must continue taking further steps” to be held accountable.

Spain’s Higher Council of Sports, the nation’s