Football’s governing body FIFA on Saturday provisionally suspended Spain's football federation’s president Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities for 90 days.
Rubiales had faced massive criticism following his unsolicited kiss on Spain's Jenni Hermoso’s lips after the team's victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup final.
“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,” FIFA said in a press release.
In order to preserve, among other factors, Hermoso’s fundamental rights, FIFA have also ordered Rubiales, the RFEF and its officials or employees to refrain from contacting the Spanish footballer or people close to her.
The decision adopted by the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has been communicated today to 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,” the statement added. “FIFA reiterates its absolute commitment to respect the integrity of all persons and therefore condemns with the utmost vigour any behaviour to the contrary.”
Earlier today, Spain's football federation had said that it will take legal action to defend Rubiales.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the federation claimed that it would show that lies have been spread about what happened to Hermoso.
Rubiales said on Friday that he won’t step down as RFEF chief over his actions last Sunday in Sydney and called his kiss "spontaneous, mutual, euphoric and consensual".
Meanwhile, Hermoso countered Rubiales by stating that she didn’t consent to the kiss and felt "vulnerable and the victim of an aggression".
She was also back by the Spanish government, who strongly denounced Rubiales’ actions.
The Spain women's team has also mutinied. In a joint statement sent via their FUTPRO union on Friday evening, all 23 of the cup-winning squad including Hermoso, as well as 32 other squad members, said they would not play internationals while Rubiales remains head of the federation.
