- Luise Rubiales resigns as Spanish FA president after kissing player at Women’s World Cup final.
Luis Rubiales is to resign as president of the Spanish FA (RFEF) after kissing midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s victory in the Women’s World Cup final.
Rubiales was asked by the Spanish football federation to step down, with Hermoso insisting the kiss was not consensual and subsequently filing a complaint to the national prosecutor’s office.
Fifa has provisionally suspended Rubiales for 90 days and opened up disciplinary proceedings against him, but he has now confirmed his intent to resign.
“I love so much my daughters, and they love me so much, i’m very happy and proud of them,” Rubiales told Piers Morgan Uncensored. “My resignation? Yes, I’m going to, I cannot continue my work.
“My father, my daughters, I spoke with them, they know it’s not a question about me. They say to me, ‘Luis, now you have to focus on your dignity and continue your life, because you will do damage to people you love.’
“When somebody is not thinking only about themself, because I had to in these few weeks, it’s not only a question of me. It can affect third parties, it’s very important, this situation now, it’s the thing I have to do.”
Spain’s women’s team claimed they would not play again for their country until Mr Rubiales was removed from his post.
Rubiales maintained throughout that the kiss was “mutual” and “consensual”, but did add that he had made “some obvious mistakes”.
