The German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, has expressed this Sunday her rejection of the non-consensual kiss given by the, until yesterday, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Luis Rubiales to the footballer of the Spanish team, Jennifer Hermoso, during the women’s soccer World Cup.
To do so, Baerbock has raised the same situation with different protagonists: the then German Chancellor Angela Merkel with the captain of the men’s team, Philipp Lahm, during the World Cup victory in 2014.
“Imagine Angela Merkel doing it to Phillip Lahm in 2014. All hell would have broken loose. Everyone would have found it incredible and that says it all,” she added after attending a women’s match for the Turbine Potsdam club that they lost at home to Jena, by zero goals to one. In 2014, the German men’s team won the World Cup in Brazil and was also celebrated by then Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The fact that the FIFA disciplinary committee removed Rubiales from his position for 90 days this Saturday was “more than correct,” said the minister.
FIFA suspended Rubiales on a provisional basis this Saturday as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, with Pedro Rocha assuming the position, in the midst of the social and political siege since Hermoso’s complaint for the non-consensual kiss in the celebration of the Copa del World.
At the same time, the Higher Sports Council (CSD) raised a “reasoned petition” against Rubiales himself to the Sports Administrative Court (TAD).
The until then president of the Spanish Federation refused to resign this Friday in the extraordinary Assembly. He insisted on staying in office. “I’m not going to resign,” he said repeatedly. Rubiales’ gestures and his behavior in the World Cup final and this week have been harshly criticized and sanctioned not only by the world of international sports, but also by some politicians.
