Spanish football federation to take legal action after Jennifer Hermoso’s comments on kiss from Luis Rubiales

The Spanish football federation is reportedly taking legal action after star Spanish player Jennifer Hermoso’s comments on what she called an unsolicited kiss from federation president Luis Rubiales following Spain’s historic win at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Hermoso said in a statement via players’ union Futpro that she did not consent to being kissed by Rubiales following the World Cup final in Sydney, which saw Spain prevail 1-0 over England.

A total of 81 players signed the Futpro statement, demanding the removal of the federation leadership and refusing to play for the national team until Rubiales is sacked.

“I want to clarify, that at no time did I consent to the kiss,” Hermoso said. “I don’t tolerate that my word is questioned, much less that words are invented that I haven’t said.”

Rubiales was expected to resign on Friday but he instead doubled down at the federation’s extraordinary conference, claiming a “witch hunt” and declaring he would not resign several times.

The federation (RFEF) has now questioned Hermoso’s version of events, claiming the evidence was “conclusive” and that “Mr President (Rubiales) has not lied”.

The federation said in a statement it would “demonstrate each of the lies that are spread either by someone on behalf of the player or, if applicable, by the player herself”.

“The RFEF and the President, given the seriousness of the content of the press release from the Futpro union, will initiate the corresponding legal actions,” it said.

It remains unclear what those legal actions will entail.

In a bizarre addition to its statement, the RFEF provided four images of the now infamous embrace, with an analysis of each denouncing Hermoso’s version of events.

Rubiales’ behaviour after the final was also criticised after he appeared to grab his crotch while watching from the royal box, next to Spanish Queen Letizia and her daughter.

After his failure to step down from the RFEF voluntarily, the Spanish Government also began legal proceedings in a bid to have the 46-year-old suspended.

Victor Francos, head of the government’s National Sports Council, said the Government sees this as the “MeToo of Spanish football”.

“The Government begins today the procedures so that Mr Rubiales has to give explanations before the Administrative Court of Sport and, if the TAD is willing, we will suspend Mr Rubiales in his functions,” he said.

It is expected a court hearing will take place on Monday.

The football boss claimed the kiss was “consensual”.

“‘It was a spontaneous kiss. Mutual, euphoric and consensual. That’s the key,” he said. “A consensual ‘peck’ is enough to get me out of here?”

But Hermoso’s teammates and other Spanish football stars did not agree.

Viral images showed the president with his hand on the back of Hermoso’s head as he kissed her on the lips.

Asked about the moment on Spanish TV afterwards, Hermoso, who is Spain’s leading women’s goalscorer, said: “I did not like it.”