After the victory of the Spanish Women’s team in the Fifa World Cup, Spanish official and president of the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) Luis Rubiales, kissed Jennifer Hermoso, one of the two captains of the team, on the mouth without consent. 

      On August 20, 2023, Spain beat England in the Fifa World Cup, which was their first victory. In the middle of the celebration, Jennifer Hermoso (#10) was violated by an official after he grabbed her head and kissed her on the mouth. She says, “I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-drive, sexist, out-of-place act without any consent on my part,” Hermoso said. “Simply put, I was not respected.” 

      The Royal Spanish Football Federation is a private organization, therefore the government cannot fire Rubiales. In the case that the Spanish authorities in charge of the case decide the kiss is considered a crime they could possibly suspend him for 2-15 years. The official has been placed on a 90-day suspension and refuses to resign however the women’s team refuses to play until he steps down from his position.

      The manager of the Barcelona soccer team, says, “I want to give my unconditional support to Jennifer Hermoso and the players. I condemn the behavior of the president of the Spanish Football Federation.”And I regret that people aren’t talking about the historic achievement of winning the World Cup,” he said, in remarks posted by the club on X, formerly known as Twitter. It is a shame that people are focusing on this unfortunate situation, rather than focusing on the triumph of the team. 

      The team’s players seem to want more than Rubiales gone, after they said, “After everything that happened during the World Cup award ceremony, we want to state that every player that has signed this statement will not go back to the national team under the current leaders.” Along with sexual aggression, Rubiales refuses to apologize, releases false footage of Hermoso apologizing, and projects himself as a victim of a “witch hunt” and “false feminism.” 

       The interim president of the federation wants to cut Ruibiales as soon as possible. It’s not yet known whether his full consequence will be suspension or if he eventually will be forced to resign.