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“Se Acabo”: Football Association confirms resignation of Rubiales

Rubiales had kissed the player Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth at the award ceremony after the World Cup final in Sydney, which was won by Spain, on August 20. The Spanish Football Association RFEF confirmed the resignation.

The suspended Spanish Football Association president Luis Rubiales has now announced his resignation after the kissing scandal at the World Cup. The incident three weeks ago overshadowed Spain’s first victory in the Women’s World Cup.

Rubiales spontaneously kissed world champion Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth at the award ceremony in Sydney. His inappropriate behavior had triggered massive and widespread criticism.

For Rubiales, who has so far vehemently held on to his office, the pressure seems to have become too great recently. Player Hermoso has reported him, and the Spanish public prosecutor’s office is investigating for sexual assault.

The 46-year-old submitted his resignation on Sunday evening, the Spanish Football Association confirmed. He is giving up his post as President of the Spanish Football Association and his Vice-Presidency of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

Rubiales announced his resignation on an episode of the talk show “Piers Morgan Uncensored” that has not yet been broadcast in full.

“I can’t continue my work”

“About my retirement, yes, I will do it, yes, because I can’t continue my work,” Rubiales said in the interview with Piers Morgan. Rubiales added that his closest associates had advised him: “Luis, you have to take care of your dignity and continue your life. Otherwise, you will harm the people you love and the sport you love”.

The Spanish Football Federation confirmed this. “He has informed the federation of this in a letter to Pedro Rocha Junco (interim president). He has also resigned from his position as UEFA vice-president,” the RFEF said in a statement.

Morgan published a short excerpt of the interview with the 46-year-old on the Portal X (formerly Twitter) portal on Sunday evening. According to Morgan, the conversation is said to have taken place this Sunday.

The entire episode of the talk show “Piers Morgan Uncensored” has not yet been broadcast. A statement with similar content, which Spanish media attributed to Rubiales, was also published on X.

“Se Acabo”

The Minister for Equality, Irene Montero, wrote laconically “Se Acabo” (Spanish for “It’s over”) on X (formerly Twitter), thus taking up a slogan that Jenni Hermoso and her national team colleagues had also used to express their protest.

“The feminist country is moving faster and faster,” emphasized Yolanda Díaz, the second deputy prime minister of the Spanish government. “Changing and improving our lives is inevitable. We are with you, Jenni, and with all women,” she added on X.

The Spanish “MeToo” moment

Rubiales had kissed the player Jennifer Hermoso on the mouth at the medal ceremony after the World Cup final in Sydney, which was won by Spain, on August 20.

This, along with an angry speech in which he attacked the government and the media and accused a “false feminism” of wanting to “publicly execute” him, led to numerous demands from politicians, sports officials and media representatives after his resignation.

The media wrote of a Spanish “MeToo” moment. The world governing body FIFA suspended him for 90 days, the government brought proceedings against Rubiales in the sports court, and the regional presidents of the RFEF demanded his resignation.

But Rubiales clung to his post. The kiss was mutual, he insisted. Hermoso repeatedly denied this and stated that she felt “victimized by an impulsive, sexist and inappropriate act that I did not consent to.”

Report against Rubilaes

The 33-year-old filed a complaint against Rubilaes. This in turn enabled the public prosecutor to file a criminal complaint for sexual harassment and coercion.

Now an examining magistrate at the Audiencia Nacional in Madrid must decide whether the criminal complaint will be upheld and investigations will be initiated that could lead to a trial.

Experts estimate that former professional Rubiales could be sentenced to between one and four years in prison if he is actually put on trial and found guilty.

By Klaus