The siege on Luis Rubiales tightens as the days, almost the hours, pass. Requests to resign are raining down on the president of the Football Federation from everywhere. Although at the moment he has no intention of resigning and has called an extraordinary assembly for tomorrow to seek the support of Spanish football, Rubiales received a very hard blow, which may be definitive. Jenni Hermoso, whom Rubiales had tried to convince to record a joint statement for the player to support him, has taken a completely different path. He has published a devastating statement against him through his union.
In this statement the player confirms that she wants to defend her rights and proclaimed the Futpro union and its agents as her only spokespersons. Futpro then expressed its “firm and resounding condemnation of conduct that attacks the dignity of women”.
“We ask the Federation to apply the necessary protocols, look after the rights of our players and adopt exemplary measures. It is essential that our team, current world champions, is represented at all times by figures who project values ??of equality and respect in all areas. We also call on the Superior Council of Sports to, within its powers, support and actively promote prevention and intervention against sexual harassment or abuse, masculinity and sexism”, says the union.
Also the F League, as already done by the AFE, reported Rubiales to the CSD and requested his disqualification.
In the agenda of tomorrow’s assembly there is no specific point dedicated to the resignation of the president or his hypothetical apologies, something that seems to be foreseen in prayers and questions.
While Rubiales is increasingly entrenched in his tower of ivory, the movements against him follow one another. Rubiales has achieved something as difficult as uniting the political class. If Pedro Sánchez already hinted on Tuesday that it is time for him to leave, yesterday the parliamentary spokesmen of both the PSOE, Paxti López, and the PP, Elías Bendodo, said so. Sumar went further and denounced Rubiales.
The thread of the scandal is spreading. After the kiss to Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony, the effusive hugs to the players and his previous gesture of touching his genitals in the box, next to Queen Letícia and Infanta Sofia, came to light yesterday some photos of Rubiales walking on the grass with player Athenea del Castillo on his shoulder.
The question now is whether the central government has the power to force the resignation of Luis Rubiales. It doesn’t seem that simple. In this sense, Pedro Sánchez already recalled that the Federation “does not belong to the structure of the Spanish Government. Rubiales is elected and dismissed by his associates”. And the assembly will not ask for his resignation. On the contrary The territorial ones are delighted with Rubiales’ subsidies, increased by operations such as the sale of the Super Cup to Arabia, a business that is also highly questioned from a moral point of view.
What could start a disqualification process for Rubiales is the Superior Sports Council (CSD). Its top leader, Victor Francos, has already said it: “If the RFEF does not make decisions with Rubiales, we are ready.” According to current sports legislation, the final step must be taken by the Sports Administrative Court (TAD) after opening a file at the proposal of the CSD. There is a precedent.
On December 22, 2017, the TAD dismissed the previous president, Ángel Villar, for violating neutrality in the electoral process and infringing the Sports Law. He had been suspended for three months at the request of the CSD. This was the end of a 29-year mandate. Rubiales has been president since May 18, 2018.
