Jenni Hermoso has affirmed that she did not provide consent for the kiss from Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales
Gatekeepers News reports that according to BBC Sports, 81 players have declared their refusal to play for Spain’s national team until he steps down from his role.
Rubiales has rejected calls to resign following the kiss he planted on Hermoso’s lips after Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory over England.
The Spanish government has initiated legal proceedings to suspend Rubiales, and FIFA has launched disciplinary proceedings against him.
Rubiales had been widely expected to resign at an extraordinary general assembly called by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), but instead said “I don’t deserve this manhunt”.
He added: “It was a spontaneous kiss. Mutual, euphoric and consensual. That’s the key. A consensual ‘peck’ is enough to get me out of here?”
However, a statement released by players’ union Futpro, including quotes from Hermoso, stated that she did not consent to the kiss and emphasized her word should not be questioned.
“I want to clarify, that at no time did I consent to the kiss. I don’t tolerate that my word is questioned, much less that words are invented that I haven’t said.”
The statement, endorsed by numerous players including the entire World Cup-winning squad, declared their refusal to return to the national team under current leadership.
It read: “After everything that happened during the delivery of medals of the Women’s World Cup, we want to state that all the players who sign this letter will not return to a call for the national team if the current leaders continue.”
Spain’s next match is against Sweden in the Nations League on September 22.
Amid these developments, Borja Iglesias of Real Betis, on Friday, announced his refusal to play for the men’s national team while Rubiales remains in power.
Spain’s secretary of sport, Victor Francos, revealed that the government will ask Rubiales to explain himself in a Spanish court.
If the administrative court deems he violated the professional sports code, it could potentially lead to his suspension.
FIFA will also assess if Rubiales’s actions contravene Article 13 of its disciplinary code, related to offensive behavior and fair play.
