Rubiales claims video shows Hermoso was not offended by his kiss
Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), has reportedly sent a video to FIFA in a bid to defend himself over the controversial kiss he gave to midfielder Jennifer Hermoso after Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory. The video, which was uploaded on X, formerly Twitter, by journalist Alvise Perez, shows Hermoso and some of her teammates laughing and joking about the kiss in the locker room. Rubiales claims that the video proves that Hermoso was not offended by his gesture and that it was a spontaneous and friendly act.
Rubiales has been provisionally suspended by FIFA for 90 days as it investigates allegations that he violated the code of ethics by sexually harassing Hermoso. The RFEF has also threatened to take legal action against Hermoso for defamation and damage to its reputation. Hermoso, who scored the winning goal against England in the final, has said that she felt violated and disrespected by Rubiales’ kiss and that she did not consent to it. She has received support from her teammates, who have refused to play in the upcoming qualifiers for the European Championship.
FIFA says video does not change its decision to suspend Rubiales
FIFA has said that the video sent by Rubiales does not change its decision to suspend him from all football-related activities pending the outcome of its investigation. A FIFA spokesperson told CNN that the video does not provide any new evidence or information that would alter the disciplinary committee’s ruling. The spokesperson added that FIFA takes any allegation of sexual harassment very seriously and that it is committed to protecting the dignity and rights of all individuals involved in football.
FIFA’s code of ethics states that officials must respect the dignity of others and refrain from any form of discrimination, harassment or abuse. It also states that officials must avoid any situation that could lead to a conflict of interest or damage the reputation of FIFA or football in general. The code of ethics applies to all officials, including presidents, vice-presidents, members of committees, referees and staff members.
Hermoso says video was taken out of context and manipulated
Hermoso has responded to the video shared by Rubiales by saying that it was taken out of context and manipulated to portray her in a bad light. She said that she was laughing nervously and uncomfortably at the memes and jokes that were circulating on social media about the kiss, not at Rubiales’ action itself. She said that she was trying to cope with the situation and not let it ruin her joy of winning the World Cup. She also said that she was under pressure from some RFEF officials to downplay the incident and not file a complaint against Rubiales.
Hermoso said that she decided to speak out publicly after she realized that Rubiales was not going to apologize or acknowledge his mistake. She said that she wanted to set an example for other women who have faced similar situations and encourage them to stand up for themselves. She said that she hopes that FIFA will take appropriate action against Rubiales and that he will be removed from his position as RFEF president.
