The Spanish football federation (RFEF) has apologised for the “enormous damage” caused by the actions of its suspended president, Luis Rubiales. The 46-year-old has been provisionally barred from all football activity for an initial 90 days by FIFA while the game’s global governing body investigates his conduct at last month’s Women’s World Cup final in Sydney.
Rubiales kissed the Spain midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the trophy presentation, something Hermoso has said she did not consent to. However, Rubiales has refused to resign over the matter.
Now, the interim president of the RFEF, Pedro Rocha, has written a letter distancing the organisation from Rubiales’ actions, saying he is “ashamed” by them.
Rocha’s letter said, “The damage caused to Spanish football, to Spanish sport, to Spanish society and the values of football and sport as a whole have been enormous,”
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Adding that “Mr Rubiales’ actions do not represent the values defended by the Spanish federation, nor the values of Spanish society as a whole. His actions must be attributed solely and exclusively to him, since he is the one solely responsible for those actions before society, before the sports governing bodies and, if applicable, before justice.
The letter also confirmed that previous statements by the RFEF that were supportive of Rubiales have been removed from its website.
Similarly, In reaction to the scandal of the kiss on the lips on player Jenni Hermoso by its president, RFEF has sacked the coach of its World Cup-winning women’s team Jorge Vilda.
A new board formed after the suspension of RFEF President Luis Rubiales by FIFA over the allegedly unsolicited kiss during the World Cup victory celebration two weeks ago has agreed to terminate the contract of Vilda, considered a close ally of Rubiales.
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