Jenni Hermoso has garnered worldwide support after an incident in which Luis Rubiales, the president of Spain’s soccer federation, kissed her without her consent during the medals ceremony.
Rubiales has faced backlash for his actions, as Hermoso explicitly stated that she did not consent to the kiss.
Despite her statement, Rubiales maintains that the kiss was consensual and refuses to step down from his position.
He argued, “Do you think this incident is so serious that I should go, after the best management in the history of Spanish football? Let me tell you: I’m not going to resign.”
“Do you think this [incident] is so serious that I should go, after the best management in the history of Spanish football? Let me tell you: I’m not going to resign. I’m not going to resign. I’m not going to resign,” Rubiales said. “I’ve come under a lot of pressure. Perhaps somebody will look to remove me on Monday. But we live in a country of laws. Is a consensual kiss enough to remove me? I’m going to fight until the end. I hope the law is followed, and that as there’s no reason to [remove me], it won’t happen.”
Hermoso released a statement making it clear that she wanted nothing to do with the president’s kiss.
She said, “I want to clarify that, as seen in the images, at no time did I consent to the kiss he gave me and, of course, in no case did I try to lift the president. I do not tolerate my word being doubted, much less making up words I have not said.”
Jenni Hermoso releases a statement following Luis Rubiales’ accusations that the kiss was consensual:
"I want to clarify that, as seen in the images, at no time did I consent to the kiss he gave me and, of course, in no case did I try to lift the president. I do not tolerate my… pic.twitter.com/r9viza6GLs
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 25, 2023
In response to the incident, Spain’s government has initiated legal proceedings to suspend Rubiales.
Additionally, all 23 players of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad have declared that they will not play for the national team as long as Rubiales remains in charge of the Spanish Football Federation. Hermoso and her teammates have called for “real change” to support the growth of the national team and ensure its success for future generations.
Though Rubiales was expected to announce his resignation, he chose to defend his actions instead. However, it is widely anticipated that he will eventually lose his job, as the consequences of his actions continue to mount.
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