The Ministry of Labor has sanctioned the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) as well as three women’s clubs, including FC Barcelona, ??for issues related to equality, as confirmed this Wednesday morning by the second vice president and Minister of Labor. and Social Economy in functions, Yolanda Díaz, in statements to RNE. They consider that the Federation did not activate the harassment protocol after the incidents that occurred with Luis Rubiales at the World Cup celebration and that it has not investigated them appropriately. “We send our world champions without an equality plan, without harassment protocols in their workplace, it is very serious,” said Díaz.
In the case of the Spanish Federation, the Futpro union presented a complaint to the Labor Inspection (ITSS) on September 19, 2023, following the events that occurred during the celebration of the World Cup won by Spain in Australia and New Zealand. The non-consensual kiss of then-president Luis Rubiales to Jenni Hermoso went around the world and is even being tried in court.
In parallel to the trial for an alleged case of sexual assault, as well as the pressure that the soccer player, as well as her family members, reported having received from several members of the Spanish Federation, the Ministry of Labor carried out an in-depth investigation into how The Spanish Federation proceeded and has determined that the corresponding protocols were not activated to protect the soccer player.
Specifically, the resolution maintains that the RFEF “has not carried out the correct investigation” into the incidents that occurred at the World Cup, and that the Federation “does not have an Equality Plan that is in accordance with current regulations,” nor “ with a Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment Protocol that allows workers to know how to activate it, who to contact, or what to expect when the investigation is completed.”
On the other hand, last summer the Government also opened equality investigations into the 16 women’s football clubs in the First Division, as well as sports limited companies (SAD). Regarding the investigation into equal pay, that is, verifying the existence of a pay record or whether there is pay discrimination, three clubs have been sanctioned. FC Barcelona is the only one in the First Division, in addition to Espanyol and Europa, in the second category of Spanish football.
