Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales was suspended by FIFA on Saturday for his behavior in the Women's World Cup final in Sydney on August 20, reported Xinhua.
The RFEF later announced that Pedro Rocha, who was previously vice-president, will step forward to be the new RFEF president while an investigation against Rubiales takes place.
"The chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, Jorge Ivan Palacio (Colombia), in use of the powers granted by article 51 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC), has decided today to provisionally suspend Mr. Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level," FIFA's declaration stated.
"This suspension, which will be effective as of today, is for an initial period of 90 days, pending the disciplinary proceedings opened against Mr. Luis Rubiales on Thursday, August 24."
FIFA also forbade Rubiales or his associates from contacting Hermoso or people "in her environment."
Rubiales caused outrage with his behavior in the directors' box when he celebrated Spain's 1-0 win over England with obscene gestures, and then when he kissed Spain forward Jennifer Hermoso on the lips in the award ceremony.
Hermoso has stressed that she did not consent to the kiss, with Rubiales' actions leading to an outcry against him from both inside football and other figures in Spanish politics and society.
Rubiales addressed a meeting on the RFEF on Friday in which he railed against a "social assassination" against him and "false feminism," and insisted he would not resign.
That led all 23 members of Spain's World Cup winning squad, plus another 58 players, to sign a declaration saying they refused to play for their country again while Rubiales remained in charge.
The Spanish prosecutor's office announced it would press for criminal charges against Rubiales for sexual assault, while the government's Upper Sports Committee (CSD) said they will take the case to the Administrative Sports Tribunal (TAD) to try and suspend Rubiales.
In a further twist to the tale, the RFEF on Saturday morning published a series of photos attempting to show that Rubiales' kiss on Hermoso was consensual, while also threatening to sue her for lying a defamation and threatening action against the players who have refused to represent Spain while Rubiales remains in office.
- Rubiales
- Suspended
- Kissing
- Hermoso
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
