It is a thing of great shame and dishonor when a scandal happens in the world of soccer, especially involving the officials of the game. Recently, Spain saw a scandal that rocked the whole sporting world.
Luis Rubiales, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, shocked the world when he kissed women’s player Jenni Hermoso without her permission and that too in front of the whole world when they won the Women’s World Cup this year. And now, after much protest and backlash, he has received his due.
FIFA slaps three-year ban on Luis Rubiales
FIFA, the governing body of football, has decided to finally step in on the matter. The soccer organization decided to ban Luis Rubiales for three years from all football-related activities. This means that he will not be involved with any soccer team or organization that is under FIFA for the duration of the ban. Earlier, during the FIFA investigation, they temporarily banned him for 90 days.
The ban is due to the breach of Article 13 of FIFA’s disciplinary code, which refers to “offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play.”
The kiss had occurred on live camera after Spain had beaten England in the Women’s World Cup this year. Later, Jenni Hermoso, the player that was kissed, said that it was not consensual and it sparked a massive outcry and protest against Rubiales. She later followed it up with a legal case against him.
The ex-Spanish soccer president tried from time to time to prove that the kiss was indeed consensual, but Hermoso did not back out of her initial position at any time.
Rubiales had also already resigned from his position as president back in September. He still held the position as one of UEFA’s vice presidents, but he will also be removed from it. He has also decided to challenge the ban, preparing to appeal against it.
Timeline of ‘Kissgate’ scandal
The incident occurred during the handout of the medals during the World Cup final. At the moment, viewers on TV had thought that it was consensual as Rubiales grabbed Hermoso to kiss her
But just a few days after the historic World Cup win, Hermoso came out to say that it was not approved by her and that she did not like the kiss. After her statements, many fans and players protested against Rubiales, calling for his resignation, which he had refused as he reiterated that the kiss was mutual.
But then, even the other women’s players boycotted from playing, and after much widespread pressure, he finally decided to step down from his role as President of the Spanish soccer federation. Coach Jorge Vilda was also sacked due to his alleged involvement in many controversial moments during his tenure.
But Hermoso didn’t stop there. She filed a legal case, and a court at Madrid found the ex-president guilty of the alleged crime. He was given a restraining order and forbidden to go anywhere close to 200 meters of Hermoso. The case is still ongoing as it is believed that he also tried to use coercion on the player to drop charges, for which even coach Jorge is also involved.
Jenni finally returned to the squad in October, and even scored a late winner against Italy. It remains to be seen if Rubiales’s ban will be overturned or not.
What do you think of the controversy regarding Luis Rubiales? Let us know in the comments down below!
