The president of the Spanish Football Federation has come under fire for kissing footballer Jenny Hermoso on the mouth during the Women’s World Cup winning celebrations. Luis Rubiales’ act was condemned by members of the Spanish government, although both the official and the player asserted that it was a consensual gesture.
However, Hermoso was heard telling her colleagues in the dressing room, during the festivities, that she “didn’t like” the kiss. The newspaper published the video, which was taken from a live broadcast on Instagram the world and other social media.
The kiss came as Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Federation (FEF), handed out gold medals to the team, following Sunday’s 1-0 win over England, at Sydney Stadium, Australia.
Hermoso later downplayed the incident in a statement sent by FIFA to Spanish news agency EFE. “She was Totally spontaneous mutual gestureOut of the great joy of winning the World Championship,” he guarantees. He adds: “The Chief and I have an excellent relationship, and his behavior towards all of us was exemplary and it was a natural gesture of affection and gratitude.” “
When asked again about the incident on Spanish radio station COPE, she said, “I would like to raise (an argument) with someone else, I am the world champion and that is what is important.”
Spanish federation president Luis Rubiales was seen kissing Jenny Hermoso on the lips during the medals ceremony.
The player later commented that she did not enjoy it. pic.twitter.com/YO3QTzE8zdDocument Women (DocumentWomen) August 21, 2023
Rubiales, however, called those who raise issues “idiots”. Radio Marca quotes “The kiss with Jenny? There are idiots everywhere. When two people feel a passionate moment that means nothing anymore, you can’t listen to the idiots. We are the champions, that’s it”.
However, some members of the Spanish government are not shy about criticizing the gesture. The Minister of Culture and Sports, Mikel Eseta, defended Monday on RNE radio that the kiss was unacceptable He asked Rubiales not only to explain himself, but also to apologize.
Gender Equality Minister Irene Monteiro slammed on Twitter the non-consensual kiss as “a type of sexual violence that all women suffer on a daily basis, which until now was invisible and which we cannot normalize”.
We do not consider giving a kiss without consent a “happening” thing. It is a form of sexual violence that women suffer on a daily basis and so far invisible, we cannot normalize it. This is the task of the whole society. approval at the center. Only if you are
– IreneMontero August 20, 2023
“If they do it with the whole of Spain watching, what are they going to do in private?” asks the Minister for Social Rights, Ioney Pilara, who is in the same party as Montero.
this monday, column from the newspaper Country It was headlined: “Jenny Didn’t Like the Kiss and Neither Do We”, calling it “an intrusion, an assault on privacy, an assault”. in the newspaper headline They went further and accused Luis Rubiales of stealing fame from the world champions.
Gender issues are a strong topic in Spain. The socialist government led a series of legal reforms on sex reassignment, abortion and sex work. However, a loophole in the sexual consent law has saved some sex offenders from prison, leading to a major electoral loss for the ruling coalition’s left-wing Podemos party in the July elections.
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