World football’s governing body FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish Football Association’s president after he kissed a player on the lips at the Women’s World Cup final.
Luis Rubiales faced a backlash for his behaviour towards Spain’s captain Jennifer Hermoso during the medal ceremony after their win against England in the final.
She said she “did not enjoy” it.
Rubiales, 45, had also grabbed his crotch in a victory gesture, seemingly oblivious to 16-year-old Princess Infanta Sofia stood close by.
FIFA said the events may constitute violations of article 13 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
The disciplinary proceedings come after Hermoso and the world players’ union FIFPRO called for action to be taken against Mr Rubiales.
The 33-year-old attacking midfielder said in a joint statement on Wednesday released by her union and her agency: “My union FUTPRO, in coordination with my agency TMJ, are taking care of defending my interests and being the interlocutors on this matter.
“We are working to ensure that acts such as those we have seen never go unpunished, that they are sanctioned and that the exemplary measures are adopted to protect women footballers from actions that we believe are unacceptable.
FIFPRO later requested FIFA open an investigation into Rubiales.
Mr Rubiales, who initially called his critics “idiots”, apologised after the kiss and said he had “surely made a mistake” while in a “moment of maximum effusiveness”.
In a video released on Monday, Mr Rubiales had said: “We saw (the kiss) as something normal, natural and not in any way in bad faith. But outside it seems that a commotion has been created.
“When you are president of an institution as important as the federation, you have to be more careful.”
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez later said the kiss was an “unacceptable gesture” and his apology was “not enough”.
Mr Sanchez said: “The players did everything to win but Rubiales’ behaviour shows that there is still a long way to go for equality.”
Spain’s second deputy prime minister, Yolanda Diaz, called for Mr Rubiales’ resignation.
She said: “Their excuses are useless.
“(The Spain squad) have shown us many things about equality, not only in sports and football.
“They have shown us that there is still a lot to do in our country, that there is still a lot to do so that men and women can become equal.”
Spain’s equality minister wrote of the kiss on social media: “It is a form of sexual violence that women suffer on a daily basis, and which has been invisible so far, and which we should not normalise.”
