![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/130958506_untitled2-696x392.jpg\" "\\"_130958506_untitled2\\"\/")
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
Spanish Football Federation President, Luis Rubiales has said he will continue defending himself \u201cto prove the truth\u201d.<\/p>\n
Rubiales, 46, has been widely criticised after he kissed player Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain\u2019s Women\u2019s World Cup final win in Sydney, Australia on 20 August.<\/p>\n
Hermoso said the kiss during the medal ceremony was not consensual.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Rubiales has\u00a0repeatedly refused to resign\u00a0despite being\u00a0suspended\u00a0by world football\u2019s governing body Fifa.<\/p>\n
In his first public comments since 25 August, when he refused to step down at an extraordinary general assembly called by the federation (RFEF), Rubiales acknowledged he had \u201cmade mistakes\u201d but repeated his belief that the kiss was consensual.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cI will continue to defend myself to prove the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier, Spain\u2019s national sports tribunal (TAD) opened a misconduct case against him.<\/p>\n
The TAD ruled Rubiales committed a \u201cserious offence\u201d by kissing Hermoso, but stopped short of the \u201cvery serious offence\u201d charge the government had requested which would have led to his suspension.<\/p>\n
In response, sports minister Miquel Iceta called for Rubiales\u2019 temporary suspension until the case has been resolved.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Sports Council and the government believe the RFEF president\u2019s actions should be classified as a very serious abuse of authority which damages the image of Spanish football,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Rubiales, who also grabbed his crotch while celebrating in the VIP area in Stadium Australia, with Queen Letizia of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter standing nearby, continued: \u201cOn 20 August, I made some obvious mistakes, for which I sincerely, from the heart, regret.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve learned that no matter how great the joy and how deep the emotion, even when you win a World Cup, sports leaders should be held to exemplary behaviour, and mine was not so.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still have confidence in the independence of the bodies where this matter should be resolved, despite the political pressure and the interest-driven brutality of certain media outlets.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough information about this matter is being subjected to numerous manipulations, lies, and censorship, the truth has only one path, and that\u2019s why I repeat, I trust that justice will be served.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cI want to send a message to all the good people in our country and beyond our borders, including those women who have really been attacked and who have my full support and understanding: this is not about gender, it is about truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
What else has happened?<\/strong><\/p>\n On Monday, Spanish prosecutors\u00a0opened a preliminary investigation\u00a0into whether the incident amounts to a crime of sexual assault, while the RFEF\u2019s regional leaders called for his resignation.<\/p>\n Rubiales\u2019 mother\u00a0locked herself in a church\u00a0on the same day and went on an \u201cindefinite\u201d hunger strike in protest against the treatment of her son. She was taken to hospital on Wednesday and\u00a0discharged\u00a0the next day.<\/p>\n Also on Friday, the head of Spain\u2019s Olympic Committee said Rubiales\u2019 actions were \u201cinappropriate and unacceptable\u201d but an \u201cisolated incident\u201d that did not represent Spanish sport as a whole.<\/p>\n Alejandro Blanco, who described Rubiales as a personal friend, added that he advised the 46-year-old in a phone call after the World Cup final to apologise, highlight the success for Spanish women\u2019s football and offer his resignation.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe that [resigning] would have been a coherent gesture, one that the whole of society would understand and the best gesture that could be made to show repentance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the head coach of Spain\u2019s men\u2019s team has asked for \u201cforgiveness\u201dafter applauding last Friday\u2019s speech in which Rubiales said he would not resign.<\/p>\n Luis de la Fuente said it was an \u201cinexcusable human error\u201d but added he would not step down from his job.<\/p>\n The RFEF is also exploring its options over whether it can sack Women\u2019s World Cup-winning head coach Jorge Vilda.<\/p>\n Vilda remains in his post despite most of his coaching staff resigning in protest against Rubiales\u2019 refusal to quit. Eighty-one Spain players, including all 23 World Cup winners, have also said they would not play for the team again while Rubiales remained in position.<\/p>\n A video\u00a0has emerged\u00a0appearing to show Hermoso and her team-mates laughing and discussing the kiss on the team bus following the game.<\/p>\n Hermoso appears to be viewing a meme of ex-Spain men\u2019s goalkeeper Iker Casillas kissing his then partner Sara Carbonero, a television presenter, during an interview following his country\u2019s 2010 World Cup victory.<\/p>\n She later says \u201che comes over and hugs me like this\u201d when talking about Rubiales.<\/p>\n In her statement denying the kiss was consensual, Hermoso said: \u201cI feel the need to report this incident because I believe no person, in any work, sports or social setting should be a victim of these types of non-consensual behaviours.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt vulnerable and a victim of impulsive-driven, sexist, out-of-place act, without any consent on my part. Quite simply, I was not respected.\u201d<\/p>\n She added that she was put \u201cunder continuous pressure\u201d to help with a \u201cstatement that could justify\u201d Rubiales\u2019 actions \u2013 and so were her family, friends and team-mates.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n