FIFA has suspended Luis Rubiales as president of Spain’s football federation for 90 days for kissing Spanish Women’s World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on the lips, and banned him from making contact with her.
The FIFA statement read: “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.
“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.”
Rubiales is in the dock for an unsolicited kiss on Hermoso during the medal ceremony after Spain lifted the Women’s World Cup for the first time by beating England 1-0.
Rubiales, on Friday, at an extraordinary RFEF meeting, resisted calls for his resignation and promised to ‘fight until the end’.
“They are not trying to carry out justice; that’s fake. A social assassination is being carried out on me. They are trying to kill me,” Rubiales posited.
“Fake feminism does not seek justice, doesn’t seek the truth; doesn’t care about people. I repeat they are preparing an execution.
“To these people who have said this about me, that have accused me, that are trying to kill me publicly. I’m going to defend myself, I’m going to defend myself like every other Spaniard should do in the courts.
“I’m going to take action against them. I’m not going to resign! I am not going to resign! I am not going to resign! I am not going to resign! I am not going to resign!”
The RFEF, on Saturday morning disclosed it was considering legal action against Hermoso for lying about the circumstances of the kiss.
Fifa’s statement added, “The decision adopted by the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has been communicated today to Mr. Luis Rubiales, the RFEF and UEFA for due compliance.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee will not provide any further information on these disciplinary proceedings until a final decision has been taken.
“FIFA reiterates its absolute commitment to respect the integrity of all persons and therefore condemns with the utmost vigour any behaviour to the contrary.”
It remains to be seen if the RFEF will continue to back the president after vice-president Rafael del Amo resigned.
A statement from the Spanish football federation read, “The RFEF regrets that after a sporting success as extraordinary as the one that occurred in the World Cup, it cannot be celebrated as the situation and success deserves for completely extra-sporting reasons.”
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